Where Things Went Awry
by IrrelevantGirlie
Summary: Things went a little differently when Lucy broke Aquarius's Key to summon the Spirit King. Now that things are at peace, will they stay that way? What will become of them? Side: Mira and the other ladies have been spreading rumours taken to be truth for years. When Lucy finds out they are fake, they set up a plan to dispel them once and for all and thwart more from cropping up.
1. Chapter 1

The blonde stares off over the edge of the hill and think about what has happened. _Aquarius isn't with me._ I sigh, wondering if my crying is done. _No one at the guild knows that I broke the key. I haven't spoken to my spirits since and have ignored when Loke shows up._ The lion spirit used to show up daily for hours on end to have Lucy not pay attention to him, but now he shows up once a week to keep tabs on her. He doesn't pressure her to talk anymore, but keeps her updated on his days and things he has heard or read. This morning he was there when she got up and had breakfast beside her and told her that he and Aries were planning to go out the following week. As always, he left after thanking her for her time and promising to be back soon. A half hour after he left, to make sure he was gone, Lucy started crying, thinking about the mermaid spirit in her own life in the heavens.

She didn't go to the guild when she was done as she had planned the day before because it was obvious that she was crying. She was glad that Natsu hadn't crawled into bed with her and woke up with Loke there. Lucy had heard that he was closer with Lisanna and she couldn't be happier for her newfound friend if they did get together. Lucy smiles at the sky when she recalls the sleepover where Lisanna told her about her feelings for the dragon slayer and everyone started laughing at her shyness. It had been a fun night before things blew up in everyone's faces.

With that reminding her, Lucy's smile dampens. _I came up here to cheer up and relax, not to dwell,_ she chides herself mentally. _Aquarius even said she will have another key in about a year and that she hoped I found it. It isn't like she is dead. Just focus on your energy and practice what Capricorn told you. It will be done soon enough and you can talk to your spirits without the guilt again._ Knowing that she is right, she breathes in and holds it until her tense muscles relax. _There._ She looks over the cliff and can smell the sea bellow. _It isn't too high, so I should be safe, even if I do screw up. I've done it once before here with Capricorn. He wouldn't let me come to harm._ She relaxes her stance and rolls her shoulders backwards. _You can do this, just as Capricorn said. Feel her magic within._ Lucy walks to the edge of the cliff and closes her eyes.

She breathes deeply, feeling the wind blowing her hair and skirt around, lifting her arms as a tingling sensation spreads out from her collarbone. _There it is...now I just let it move around..._ The sensation spreads to her whole body and makes her smile genuinely. She feels warm as she pushes it out slightly, covering herself like a second skin. Happiness bounces around her body as she breathes, loving the feeling that gave her hope to finding her beloved spirit again. She can feel it urging her forward.

 _Now, go,_ a soothing voice echoes through her, almost like the one she has known all of her life as it helps her with the water magic bestowed upon her. Lucy follows it without question, bending at the knees and waist, diving over the cliff's edge, not hearing the yelling behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Freed Justine heads back to the house at around two in the afternoon, deciding that if he was going to just sit in the guild all day, he might as well finish the translation of a tome he had at home. He leaves after telling Laxus and his teammates and they let him go, not interested in the old books like he was.

It is on his way back to the house he shares with his team that he sees the celestial mage that has captured and kept his guild's attention since her arrival. Freed had been meaning to talk to her more lately since it isn't often that they see one another without something going on, like the S-trials, Games, dragons, clock fish...pretty much everything after her arrival that she or her team seemed to be in the center of somehow. _With everything reaching a normal plateau, I should reach out and make her acquaintance...she seems to have forgiven the others outright for the Fantasia takeover and didn't seem to have a problem with me on the island with Cana, so there shouldn't be too much awkwardness._ He waves to her with that settled in his mind and calls out a polite greeting, only to be ignored by the normally shining girl. _That's strange. Normally she would say_ something _..._

He studies her as she walks away and realizes that it wasn't a matter of ignoring him as much as she didn't even notice he was there. _It feels different than when Laxus blatantly ignores people._ He follows her to make sure she is alright when he notices that she wasn't even walking to her house or the guild. _Where is she even going? There isn't much on that side of town._ Freed follows closely behind her as she looks oblivious to the world around her and the lecherous stares thrown by men on the street. When she turns the corner and he sees her face, he is shocked at how blank it is at first glance, but he picks up a slight sadness from her eyes. He continues with her worriedly, but not breaking the trance-like state she is in out of curiosity, and not even taking the effort to hide himself from her.

They reach the edge of town and go up through the trees to reach a clearing that Freed didn't know was there, on the edge of a drop off. He hangs back in the tree line as she walks and plops down fifteen feet from the edge, looking out. Watching over her for a half hour, he nearly turns and leaves, feeling very stalkerish in the trees when she stands and walks to the edge, pacing a bit with a slightly troubled look before stilling herself and looking out at the horizon.

He admires her as she moves and stands with her arms out and her clothes pressing against her by the wind, looking breathtaking. Her head is thrown back while her hair whips around with a grin that would cheer on anyone, and it infects him. Before he realizes it, he is smiling too while seeing her joy. _She is our light for a reason, I suppose. We weren't dull before, but with her we have grown stronger as we have grown brighter._

Then to his sudden horror, he watches as she bends and springs off the edge. Fear strikes his heart. "Lucy!" He yells, sprinting and diving after her, not even thinking about writing ruins with his sword as there was no time to process it all. "Lucy!" He hits the water harder than he thought he would and it knocks the air out of him. _We must have been higher than I imagined,_ his head tells him as he looks around under water for the exit. It is tough to move with the weight of his coat restricting him as the water sinks in its claws. As he moves his head from side to side, his hair floats everywhere, making it hard to decipher past it as things just looked green. _Where's Lucy?_ His vision dims rapidly with the prolonged absence of oxygen. _Where's the surface?_ His movements falter as he quickly passes out in the water.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Lucy had broken through the surface of the water, the magic inside her had taken over. She kicked further straight down underwater, knowing the bottom was far away. A tail propelled her instead of her legs, blue like Aquarius', and her outfit change is similar to the star dresses, but intensified. She never had a tail with those outfits. Her magic rejoices within her as her lungs cooperate.

After holding her breath for about five seconds since jumping, she can suddenly breathe again and hears a faint crash from high above her. She looks up and only sees a dark shape that moves a bit and slows, like it is floating on top of the water to relax. Curious about the bipedal towards the surface, she swims back, realizing how far she actually went so quickly. Red and green are the first colours to show up as she nears him before she realises that it isn't floating at the top like she had imagined. Spurred on by a sudden urgency, she reaches the person and drags it to the surface. It's a rush to save them and she finally breaks through the surface with the unconscious person. She spots the only bit of shore for miles and makes haste towards it, propelling them with her powerful fin, changing back to legs when she can stand and pull him on her own.

Lucy pulls him past the water line and puts him down to examine him. "Freed?" Her mind clicks the name and that he was not, in fact, prepared to be swimming in the ocean. She checks his vitals and finds his pulse lowering with no aspirations. Going off of what Aquarius had taught her long ago, she starts trying to resuscitate him. _Why did I leave my keys at my place? I know I didn't want to lose them in the ocean, but they would be helpful to have right now!_ Her mind berates her as she goes about saving her fellow guild mate. "Come on, Freed," she urges before breathing into him before trying to pump out the water again. She is about to breathe into him again when he suddenly coughs water into her face. "Freed!" His body jolts up and twists to the side as his lungs forcibly expel the water from themselves painfully as he gasps for air.

"Lucy?" He asks when his racking coughs subside and he looks at her, squinting. "You're okay," he breathes out, relieved, before he promptly passes out from the experience.

"What the hell were you doing Freed?" She asks to herself as she checks his breathing and looks at him. "You still have your sword and coat on. It couldn't have been easy to swim. And how am I going to get you back? I don't want to just leave you here, and I don't have my keys, so what should I do?" _What were you doing out there? Should I just sit here with you until you can move and escort you back? No, wait, I don't want him to get sick. I don't even know where he_ lives _though. Should I take him back to my place then?_ Lucy sits him up and wonders how to do it. She follows her idea of sitting in front of him and pulling his arms in front of her so far that his armpits are over her shoulders and his head hangs down. Then she slowly rolls forward until she is kneeling before standing up shakily under his dead weight. "Ugh," she grunts as she slowly makes her way across the sandbar and up the path. She makes her trek one step at a time, cursing under her breath as she slowly makes it to her place. He is surprisingly still passed out when they get back and she gets him to the sofa. Lucy catches her breath as she looks at him. _I'm going to need help to get him better. He seems cold, so a warm bath and dry clothes should do it. I have a basket of clothes that Gray forgets here, so I guess he can use those until his clothes are fine, but how do I give him a bath? I'm exhausted!_

She eyes her keys and sighs before picking up Leo's and summoning him warily. He shows up with a huge and excited smile for being called willingly for the first time in months and was about to congratulate her on performing a silent summon, but she cuts off whatever greeting he may give her. "Don't say anything, just help," she says as she points to Freed. "A simple bath and bed procedure should be sufficient. I'll take one side.

He nods, following her instruction of not speaking, but questioning the situation with his eyes. Still, the lion spirit is glad she called him willingly and is overall pleased that he was the one called. They pick up the rune mage and lead him to the bathroom, her muscles protesting after their brief reprieve. Leo handles undressing him to his boxers as she preps the tub and sets the clothes aside, planning to wash them in the spirit world with the excuse to come back. They get him soaking in the hot water, Leo keeping his head up as she washes through his long green locks. They get him dressed in the alternate clothes after Lucy steps out so Leo can change his underclothes and dry him off.

"Alright. Put him on the bed. I'll make him something to eat for when he gets up." He obligingly does so and then stands before her. "Thanks for helping him. You can go back now." He bows at the waist with a silent flourish, adhering to her no talking rule through the end as he takes all of Freed's clothes, aside from the sword, and disappears in a flash.

Lucy slaps some sandwiches together and puts them in the fridge before grabbing a towel to press the water out of his hair and a brush to brush it dry. When she is finished, exhaustion takes over and she crawls in with Freed, reasoning that it _was_ her bed. She lays down beside him and falls asleep, still smelling like the sea from her swim.


	4. Chapter 4

Freed wakes up groggily, barely noticing that the sun outside was setting as the first thing he sees while waking is Lucy. His memories seep back into him as he looks at her, remembering her jumping from that cliff. He studies her face's softness for the expression she had had, and notices that her hair is a mess. The smell from the sea wafts off of her, and he notices the intimate position they are in. She is incredibly close, one arm wrapped around his ribs as he her waist, the other clutching the shirt he had on in front of his chest, her top leg extended over his own, their knees touching. He could easily lean forward and press his lips to her brow, and from this vantage point, he could unintentionally view a large part of her cleavage.

Freed gulps down his anxiousness as he closes his eyes. He peeks through them again as Lucy stirs in her sleep. _Why'd you jump Lucy?_ His hand automatically moves and brushes her hair aside and he watches her eyes open up. "Good evening Lucy."

Lucy yawns and smiles. "Hey Freed."

He was about to ask his previous question before she showed him that smile, but he finds it pushed aside as her smile makes him smile as well. They lay quietly in that bubble for a moment before Lucy's stomach growls slightly. He sees her eyes widen and a slight pink rushes to her cheeks. "Why don't we go and eat something?"

"Good idea. I made some sandwiches earlier before I fell asleep that we can eat."

"Hmm. I was thinking more along the lines of you taking a bath while I prepare something after you show me your kitchen, but I would say that sandwiches are fine."

"You cook Freed?"

"No one else on my team does, so I learned. I've had my fair share of disasters, but I can hold my own now. Especially when cooking for Laxus."

"Right, the whole bottomless pit of a stomach thing dragon slayers sport. Well, you don't have to worry about that or making something too fancy here, but I think I'll take you up on that offer; it would probably be better than my sandwiches." They get up from the bed and Lucy grimances, having forgot that her muscles would be so sore.

Freed catches the look. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just sore."

"Sore? How come? And how did we get back here?"

"I, uhm, carried you on my back." His eyes go wide as he thinks about her traipsing through town with him on her back like a drunkard. _That cliff was pretty far from her home to be carrying a person such as myself._

"You carried me all this way? Why wouldn't you let your spirits?"

"I...um...didn't have my keys with me."

He was about to ask why when he notices her eyes aren't quite meeting his and shifting to the side, so he lets it go. "How about you show me that kitchen of yours?"

"Okay," she smiles again and pulls him along, "it's right through here! It isn't much, but it gets the job done for the most part." She pulls him through and shows him where everything is at in the kitchen.

"I think I've got it now, so go and take a bath. Don't rush through it though, I'll be taking my time out here as well."

"Okay." She then leaves to the bathroom and he hears the bath start up and her walking around her room to grab various pieces of clothing. He looks around for the ingredients before getting to work, and by the time she is done soaking her sore muscles in the bath, he is setting the table for a Swiss chicken casserole and rice. She walks in and is shocked. "You know, when I said for you to make whatever you're comfortable with, I thought you would just boil some noodles and heat up some sauce."

He looks up at her as he sets down his plate with a slight smile on his face. "Where would the fun in that be? Besides, I AM comfortable." He notices her damp hair and pajama-like clothes, but doesn't say anything.

They sit at the table and she just looks at it after dishing up her rice. "It almost seems too good to mess up."

"Well, I've never exactly made it before either," he admits while dishing her up, "but it smells good."

She gives a short laugh as it is set in front of her. "So I'm your guinea pig?"

"Unintentionally I suppose, but I guess it is true."

She takes a bite and let's out a sound of approval and delight past her chewing mouth. "It tastes really good Freed. You did well."

"Thanks." They keep eating, talking back and forth on a few random topics before his earlier thought comes back to him. He decides not to just jump into it, and asks her what she was doing up there.

"I was...meditating on some stuff, clearing my head."

"On a cliff?"

"I had to get some distance away from possible distractions." She shuffles around some food on her plate before taking another bite. _Distractions? Maybe people who would stop her?_ "Anyway, what were you doing up there Freed? How did you end up in the water? You can't just jump in with bulky clothes or you will have trouble swimming. If I wasn't there, you would have drowned!"

"What were YOU doing, jumping into the sea from that high up?"

"It wasn't high enough to kill me, I already knew that."

"What?" _Not high enough to kill someone? I nearly died going after you!_

"Yeah, I was training. I've done it once before." _What? And only ONCE and she is so confident?_ "But why were you there? Why'd you jump in?"

"You were going to kill yourself!"

Lucy's eyes get big in shock and her fork clatters onto the table. "I was not!"

"You jumped off a cliff into the ocean." Freed puts his fork down and looks at her seriously. "Do you really expect me to believe you with the faces you were making?"

"Yes, because you're family! Family doesn't jump to such extreme conclusions about one another." Her hand curls up over the table top as she lays out her underlying accusation.

"No, that is EXACTLY what family does Lucy," he points out. "They jump to extremes for their own, even if it means risking something big for themselves."

"I was not trying to kill myself off Freed. After all we have been through, WHY would I give up NOW?"

"I haven't a clue, considering I don't understand the mind-set of a suicidal person. But what else am I supposed to think when I watch you take a nosedive off the edge of a cliff I have never even seen before? Wouldn't it be normal of me to be concerned? Especially after seeing you ghost through Magnolia like you have lost hope in something?"

"What?"

"You were walking through town, not even paying attention to anything. I tried getting your attention, but it was like you weren't even seeing anything. After such a display, and you jumping, what else am I to think?"

"I didn't need saving!" She repeats like she doesn't understand Freed's view.

"How was I supposed to know that though? You looked distraught, then you went to a cliff where you proceeded to throw yourself off." He leans back in the chair. "I had no time to think 'hey, maybe she has done this before' or maybe, 'it's just an exercise'. I was forced to make a split-second decision."

"You nearly died, Freed-"

"And I thought you were aiming for the same result! Understand?"

"You weren't breathing when I got back to you and you were half dead. You can't go around jumping off cliffs blindly!"

Freed let's out an exasperated sigh."You can't go jumping off cliffs and not expect people to freak out just a LITTLE bit Lucy."

"I didn't even know you were there to freak out!"

"That's not the point!" His frustration spikes. "The point is to NOT go jumping off cliffs!"

"I was safe!"

"Well _I_ didn't know that."

"I should be more upset with you: you're the one who nearly died," she huffs and Freed just looks at her, unable to comprehend her thought process. _I know she is intelligent, but it isn't showing up right now._ He bites back a retort and takes a sip of the wine he got from the cupboards. _White is the colour for this casserole next time, not red._

They continue eating in silence for the rest of the meal.


	5. Chapter 5

Freed collects everything and starts washing the dishes. "By the way, where DID my clothes go?" He normally doesn't wear short sleeves and is used to rolling them up before washing. He turns to Lucy to get an answer and sees her with a slightly pink face.

"Lo-Loke has them. He is probably washing them in the celestial world." Her mind relaxes after stuttering his name. It had been so long since she had said any of their names out loud. _I probably wouldn't have been able to say Leo either._ "I'm not to sure when he would be back with them. I can tell him to leave them at your place."

Freed inwardly groans as he pulls back his hair and Lucy gives him a red ribbon to tie his hair with. "Whose clothes am I in now?"

"They are clothes that I've picked up from Gray."

"You're kidding me." He starts filling the water basin and adds soap. "Well, that explains why they're tighter. But Gray's? Really?" Freed sighs, shaking his head. Lucy hops up onto the counter to dry the dishes and set them next to her.

"What's wrong with his clothes?"

 _How do I tell her that Ever already thinks I'm gay for Laxus, so me wearing Gray's clothes would be scandalous? Not to mention if Loke brought back my clothes..._ He inwardly shudders. "It's nothing."

"It can't be nothing with the sigh you had," she prods.

"I REALLY don't wish to tell you. It's too embarrassing."

"As embarrassing as flying naked through the air, landing on Natsu, and rolling all over Crocus in a bell with him?" Freed's eyes go wide, practically bugging out.

"You- no way."

"Yes, way."

"When was this?!"

"Around our first GMG, with the dragons and everything."

"Why didn't we hear anything about it?"

"Natsu didn't seem to notice, and why would I be the one to tell the guild?"

"Why are you telling me?"

"You don't strike me as the gossiping sort and I am curious. They're just clothes after all."

Freed groans. "Compared to you, mine seems like child's play."

"All the more reason to indulge me."

"Fine." So he tells her what had went through his mind and she deflates a bit with what he says and the anticlimacticism of it.

"Wait, you aren't?" She hands him the last wine glass to put away on the top shelf.

"Aren't what?"

"Gay for Laxus." The glass slips through his fingers and shatters on the floor.

"What?" What happens registers in his mind as his eyebrows fly upwards."Oh! Sorry about your glass. Stay still while I get it cleaned up." He starts cleaning it up. "Why would you, um, think I was?"

"Evergreen. And Mira. And Erza. Cana. A little Levy. And Bisca. A few others. Stories from them, and how you act, following him around like Jet and Droy do Levy."

"Oh no. I thought they were just Ever's self-delusions." _That, at least, would be tolerable._

"They might have started and lived on by updates from her, but the ideas seem to reside in all of them. And they seem to, uh, enjoy them."

Freed groans again as he gets the rest of the glass up and thrown away. "What about Bix?" He reaches. "He's been devoted to the team too and we all go on missions together." He stands in front of Lucy.

"There was a few speculations tossed about about all THREE of you," she bites her lip and turns redder while rehashing, "but they saw YOU as more of the one."

"And they really think that LAXUS would-"

"It was all mostly one-sided, and they write him off as bi with a main preference for hetero," she let's him know.

"God, I'm really a puppy dog in their eyes, huh?" Lucy bites back a laugh when it reminds her of something Mira had said once or twice and Freed mildly throws her a glare. "So, obviously, you believed their words-"

"They sounded knowledgeable at the time, placing reasonable doubt-"

"But what were your views?"

"Um, what?"

"Your views on us. What were they?"

"You mean did I think you two were together? I had assumed, considering that was all the information I had."

"They didn't say anything else?" He asks, a bit shocked.

"Well, they sure, uh, speculated a lot. On a few different, um, things." Her eyes aren't even on him anymore as her eyes are diverted down and away, ears almost glowing red.

He pushes the envelope, wanting to both see her more embarrassed and to get to the bottom of the rumours mostly being spread by the evil hens three. "Oh? What kind of things were said?"

"I can't list them all-"

"'Can't', or won't?"

"Can't," she confirms. "There have been too many differences over the years."

"Like what?" He leans forward to put a slight sense of pressure over her to speak. "I COULD lock you in runes to tell me every single thing, Lucy. You would not be freed until all was said."

"Please don't," she says, looking back up to him and begging, leaning slightly back in surprise of how clots he had moved. "I don't want to say a lot of them."

"Then enlighten me on a few of the main themes, please. I want to know what I'm up against with them."

"Okay...um..." She tucks some hair behind her red ear. "Well, to start, Mira gave you guys the couple name Fraxus."

"Ever started that one after one trip many years ago, so that isn't new. What's current between us?"

"Okay." She let's out a huff of air. "For the most part, they saw Laxus, uh, topping."

"Topping?" He looks at her confused a moment. "Wha- oh. Okay. Not unreasonable considering he's a dragon slayer. Go on."

"But then, after Fantasia, Mira said that she could see you using your runes to your advantage and, ahem," she clears her throat before moving on, "taming that particularly wild and rebellious side with your rules." He can see her concentrate on her words in memory. "I believe she phrased it 'bottoming from the top'?" Freed's eyes widen as what she said sinks in. "Which would result in Laxus seeking, ah, revenge."

"Oh God."

"That too." He looks at her quizzically and she gives a sheepish expression. "While your team's official title is the Thunder Legion, some call you the Thunder God Tribe. And when you and he..." She hesitates and leaves it blank while continuing, "your, uh, hmm, your cries are to your...blasphemous thunder deity."

Freed thinks about it for a moment and pegs the person. "Cana seems to be the one behind that one. Only she could be that...thorough."

"Yeah, I heard it from Cana. Same with some of the other ones, but there was one where Bixlow and you are in the shower before Laxus finds out and-"

"I think that's enough from Cana."

"That one was actually Evergreen. And while they fight on almost everything else, she and Erza seem to agree, a lot, on this topic."

Freed looks down. "Dear heavens, Lucy, kill me now. I won't be able to face them."

"I've had to face them this whole time. And you almost did die today, so I don't want to hear that coming from you."

"Fine. But I'm curious." He looks up and takes a half a step closer, not even touching her still. "What have some of your delusions portrayed?" He watches her eyes.

"Honestly, I haven't really given that much thought in you two. They, the people in the guild, did all of the work." He notices a slight shift.

"But you have entertained thoughts of _some_ kind."

Her eyes widen as he guesses it. "How did you-"

"I'm observant. Reading people is what I do. But you did tell the truth, so who HAVE you pictured?" She let's out an incoherent mumble. "What was that?"

This time it is slightly more audible. "Gray and Natsu."


	6. Chapter 6

Freed gives a slight gasp. "Your own team mates?"

"They hide their own friendship." Lucy says, shrugging. "How hard is it to think that they hide other things?"

"Oh, my God."

"Watch it. It's just a fantasy anyway."

"Does anyone else subscribe to your thoughts?"

"A couple. Mira heard about it and dubbed them Gratsu, but she is more of a Fraxus person. She doesn't dabble in them. I hardly either, but it is a floating idea."

"But you still believed Mira about..."

"Well, yeah. With as much details they provided, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that they have caught you two from time to time."

"Details?"

"Certain scenarios, most of them vulgar, more than half involving some form of kinky play," she hides her face in her hands, elbows on her thighs. "Please, I don't want to get into that."

"Is it that terrible?" He laughs, loving how embarrassed she looks. _I honestly didn't think she would say all of this. I thought she would have stopped a long time ago. But it is no wonder people tease her if she reacts every time. It's kind of...cute._ "I could take a guess I suppose," he teases more. "Let's think. Knowing Mira and her past talks of play between guild mates that I have had the pleasure of hearing, there probably is some kind of food item." He sees her tense up and knows he is on the right track. "Laxus likes sweets, but doesn't admit it, so baking stuff probably. She already knows I can bake," he muses out loud, letting his mind open up to Mira's thought process. "It must be something simple and easy for play that's sugary and sweet. Whipped cream wouldn't be so sweet, so icing, maybe frosting-" she flinches slightly at the word and he knows he has it. "Frosting, noted. Onto Cana then."

"Freed, no," she pleads, not looking up, and probably thinking about hiding away forever.

"There is no harm in confirming. I have to think of a way to get back at them somehow. Now, Cana is more...crude. She probably thought up master/servant play, but for something specific it could be troubling, unless she stuck to the basics." He watches her carefully as he starts listing to gage her reactions. "Handcuffs. Runes were already mentioned for Mira for my use. Certain kinds of...rings. Gags. Electro stimulation. Riding crops. Leashes." Her shoulders creep up and she presses her face into her hands tighter. _No reaction from gags and crops, but leashes? Well, then that leaves_ "Collars." Her fingers curl inward.

"No more, I'm serious." _Collars it is. I can work with this..._

"Okay, relax." She loosens up after a minute of silence and sets her fists on her knees. _But I just have to know..._ "Was Laxus collared or was I-" Her head snaps up and lands a glare on him. "Me then. Okay."

"You are so lucky I saved you, you know."

"And I am grateful. I just plan to play with their minds a bit. I'm sure Laxus won't mind showing them to mind their own business."

"No more though, I can't take it."

"Okay, no more. And I'm serious this time." He glances at the clock. "Oh, it's eleven o'clock."

"What!" Her eyes dash to the clock. "I didn't realise it got this late."

"I'll get going then."

"What about the clothes?"

"I'll have to just deal with it."

"It's already late."

"I can deal with a fake scandal. I was going to deal with it anyway."

"Then why don't you stay?" The words are out before she knows it, but any embarrassment pales to earlier. "An overnight stay would seem more believable." _What am I saying!?  
_

"Hmm."

 _He's really thinking about it?_

"That would open up the plan I would have with Laxus."

"You already have a plan?"

"Yes. It would probably take a couple months without this little play to their minds. Would you mind if I really took you up on your offer?"

 _This is the part where you say ye-_ "No. I'll help you out." _Uh, what? Did I just-?_

"Okay, then it's settled. The plan starts in the morning. Let's get some sleep then. Oh, and Lucy? Thank you for saving me." _I'll try repay her later for her troubles._

"No problem." They get ready for bed and he starts over to the couch. "Oh come on over here. You were sleeping just fine with me earlier. It was comfortable."

"Are you sure?"

"It's better than when Natsu comes through the window. He's WAY too warm."

"It'll ruin it if he does come in. Shall I make some runes?"

"No- you know, maybe that would be good." Freed takes his sword and blocks out anyone from entering without her permission, aside from himself as caster of the runes, the landlady, and any emergency crews. Then he fixes it so her spirits won't be harmed if summoned in the apartment, finishing it up with the need for personal permission for each entry. "I should have had you do that years ago," she says appreciatively. Come on," she says, pulling his hand. "Let's go to bed."

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ He thinks as he is led into the blonde's bed for the night.


	7. Chapter 7

Freed and Lucy get up the next morning at dawn to get him ready to go back home. Lucy runs her fingers through his hair to delicately mess it up and his eyes shut at the feel of it. He doesn't rub the sleep from his eyes and grabs his sword. "Lucy, I don't have my boots."

"Loke must have taken them to fix them if needed. You're missing something else though."

"What?"

She runs to her make-up drawer and grabs a few colours before coming back and attacking his neck. "A love bite."

"Pretty thorough, aren't you?" He smiles at the faint blush on her cheeks.

"All for your plan to work. Let me see your arms."

"Why?"

"You're thinking dominatrix for Cana, right? We need them to believe you're into it, so..." She dabs the make-up on expertly. "Vóila! Hand cuff or rope markings."

"You're a genius."

"Genius level would be putting finger bruises on your hips and have you walk and sit funny. Or not sit at all." His eyes bug out at the thought.

"Wow. Have you done this before?"

"I've, uh, mistakenly got bored with Erza on a train and was reading her books with her. You can learn a lot of things by reading."

"You can. Go ahead and do it. I'm all for being thorough."

"What?!"

"Hurry, I've got to leave soon Lucy." He pulls up the shirt and shimmies the jeans just a tad lower.

"You are out of your mind." She shakes her head, but works on light bruises, placing her hands on him to get the right position. Freed locks down his mind when she does this and focuses on other things. "Are they really going to pay attention this much?"

"Ever might. Laxus would smell all the make-up and smell you and maybe Gray on me. Bix would pull the stop on jokes. Hopefully I can get Laxus alone to tell him why and he might agree."

"Might?" Lucy flexes her fingers, making Freed bite his lip, and thinks a moment before making the markings a little less even where more pressure would be put.

"He could just say it was a dumb idea. I'll have to speak with Gray and let him in on it. He's more likely to agree to get back at Erza and Cana."

"Okay, you're all good. Just one last thing."

"What's tha-ah!" His muscles tense as he arcs away from her nails raking from around his ribs and curving down his sides to finally dig into where the marks were. _Holy-_ "Might want to warn me next time, Lucy." _That was...think about something else, Freed!_

"Sorry. But they are light enough to make it seem like they were done hours ago."

"Any more thorough and it will be drastic."

"Okay, okay. Just on the way back I want you to bite your lips a bit. Don't make them bleed, but let colour invade them a bit. Like this." He watches her demonstration earnestly as she bites her lips in front of him. _So knowledgeable, but not entirely skilled...she's a dangerous mix._ He mentally backs off before he has another problem.

With one last run through of his hair under her fingers, he leaves the apartment, not feigning a slightly uncomfortable walk.


	8. Chapter 8

Ever is the first to see him when he gets back and she notices his appearance right away. "Freed!"

"What, Ever?" He says, controlling his face better than Master in poker.

"I can't believe you," she hisses.

"I never asked you to, but nevertheless, what is it this time?"

"You haven't been home since leaving the guild yesterday, and now you show up early in the morning in _this_ condition, dressed in _Gray's_ clothes? And so openly standing in the kitchen too!"

"You mean you _don't_ want breakfast? Geez. I make breakfast every morning for you guys. Why should today be any different? Now move. I need the mixing bowls." He gets what he needs out and takes the bowl down from the top shelf before tying an apron on and mechanically putting his hair up out of habit.

"What is that!?" She nearly shrieks.

"What!" He jumps, thinking there's something there out the window.

"On your neck!"

"Oh." His heart calms down. "Nothing."

"It most certainly is _not_ nothing!"

"It's nothing to you, then." He says as Bix and Laxus walk in as he is mixing things together and putting it together.

"What's all the yelling for, woman?" Laxus asks, looking annoyed.

"Freed has a huge hickey on his neck!" She says, openly pointing to him as he flips pancakes and shuffles the bacon in the pan.

 _Huge? Geez Lucy._

"Woah. You get lucky last night Freed?" Bix asks, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"I was lucky yesterday," he says, thinking about Lucy saving him so it isn't technically a lie.

"Moreover, he's in Gray's clothes!" She points out under the apron.

Freed sees Laxus take a subtle sniff in the air and look slightly confused before he wipes it away. "That's more than what Gray's in most of the time," Bix laughs. "Someone has to wear them."

"Can someone set the table instead of gawk?" Freed asks pointedly at Ever and sets to work.

It is almost at the end of breakfast, Freed remembering to shift uncomfortably once in a while as he remembers what Lucy mentioned, when Laxus finally speaks up. "Bix. Ever. Wash the dishes. I have to talk to Freed. In private." Freed is about to protest when Laxus shoots him a look. "Now." They get up from the table and go to the office. "Silence the room." Freed casts the runes silently with his eye. "Is it up?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now tell me what the hell you are doing." Freed jumps.

"What do you mean?"

"You're in Gray's clothes, but you certainly don't smell like him. The clothes smell faintly of him though, but not like they were actually at his house. You smell like Blondie and her lion friend. But you don't smell coupled. You've got a hickey as big as the moon on your neck, your hair's a mess, you're shoeless, and you have bruises around your wrists that slightly change colour depending on your wrist movements. What is going on?"

"Well, I'm glad you've figured it out so quickly. It's all part of a plan for payback on Ever, Mira, Erza, Cana, and whoever else involved. Lucy had thought that we," he waved his arm between them, "are together. Apparently the gossip is so good between them that it has become truth for the guild, so since this opportunity has arose, I figured to mess with their minds to prove that they should mind their own business."

"Good idea, but how does Blondie fit into this?"

"She saved my life yesterday from drowning and I recovered at her house. The topic came up and I decided I had enough with them gossiping, so she helped me. The bruises are make-up." He smears the edge of the ones on his wrists for proof. "She even did my back."

"Your back?"

"Cana's delusions involves S&M."

"And you think that this will help?"

 _He's known all along then, hasn't he?_ "Yes. I've thought about this before. She just gave me the opportunity. I still have to talk to Gray, but considering delusions about he and Natsu, I think he will cave."

"Flametard and Iceidiot?"

 _Was I supposed to leave that out? Oh well._ "Yeah. Something about hiding more than friendship or something. Point is, we aren't the only ones plagued by the evil gossips in the guild. I don't want it to stay. Will you help me?"

"Sure. How are you going to keep this if it is make-up?" He points to the hickey.

"Normally my neck is not shown, nor my wrists."

"What does your back look like?"

"It shouldn't be bad."

"Can I see?"

"Sure." Freed pulls the shirt over his arms and head and turns his back to Laxus.

"Are the scratches real? They don't look like make-up."

"No, they were real," Freed mumbles, remembering the feeling. "Same when she dug them in."

Freed slips his jeans down a little to show off Lucy's handiwork. "They look so real," Laxus remarks, actually sounding surprised.

"Ever seemed to think so, and she knows make-up."

"Okay. I'll pretend you're mine, so I'll have to act possessive, so find your own time to tell Gray. PDA is fine occasionally, but we'll only allude to it for our private moments. I can pretend, but I know I ain't gay. Feel free to think of whoever you need to for this, but you can't cheat on a dragon, so no saying others' names you may think of to get yourself by or there could possibly be some trouble. We won't keep this up forever. I won't go longer than six months."

"I think that would be sufficient," Freed says, astonished that he agreed so quickly.

"Alright. Put your shirt back on and let's get this started." After his shirt is on, Laxus speaks. "In five seconds, drop the runes. After a while, when they understand, this is over."

"Deal."

"Start counting," Laxus says as he leans forward as kisses the rune mage, shocking him.


	9. Chapter 9

His eyes are wide and his mouth falls open in shock, leaving himself to be fully French kissed by his long-time friend. _Okay, okay. One, two, three, four, five. Runes are down now. Wait, why isn't he stopping?_ Laxus's hand reaches up and grabs his hair, pulling it and messing it up from when he put it up earlier. _What the hell? This is SO wrong. Okay, other person, other person, other person._ He imagines that it is Lucy pulling at his hair like she was earlier. He closes his eyes to make it more realistic for his brain, but it isn't quite sizing up correctly in his mind. _If I imagine her this big, it should work._ He starts reciprocating with that in mind and fights for leadership on the premise that he would take control of the kiss between he and Lucy, which doesn't sit well for the dragon slayer, leader of the team.

Forgetting it is Freed he was kissing and seeing it instead as a challenge for dominance, Laxus lifts the lighter man onto the desk Freed normally uses to work to face him head on. _Nope. I'm sorry, but I don't think Lucy would do this. The image of her isn't staying. It's the wrong blonde._ He breaks away his mouth from Laxus, feeling uncomfortable, and Laxus starts in on his neck. _That's got to taste terrible!_ He blanches, thinking about all the make-up Lucy layered on his neck that he was now sucking off. _I'm so not feeling this._ He opens his eyes and tries to pull away, but Laxus's hands are holding him in place, so he tries to get his attention. "Laxus," he says, sounding out of breath.

Freed feels Laxus's teeth sink into his neck and he gasps as the door to the office opens. Loke is standing there, looking like he is holding back a smirk as Freed looks back at him in an embarrassed and horror-filled state. "Laxus!" The other man mumbles something incoherent into Freed's neck, but continues on.

Freed sighs, wrapping his arms around the muscular man and grabs his shirt just above between his shoulder blades. He gets a good hold on it and yanks backward and down, causing his collar in the front to jump up and dig into his throat. Laxus chokes in surprise and backs up instantly. "Ow, Freed, what the hell!"

"You weren't listening to me," was his only bland reply before Loke clears his throat and Laxus notices him. They also see Ever and Bixlow peering into the room with curious eyes.

"I came to give Freed his clothes. I took the liberty of washing and repairing them where needed." He holds up a blue fancy paper bag with swirls on it. "I would also take Gray's to return them as well. I thought I had given you time to change, but apparently I was, uh, incorrect. The lion hides a smirk and it makes some blush appear on Freed's cheeks.

"Loke too?" Bixlow gapes between the smartly dressed lion spirit and Freed in amazement.

"Repairing them?"

"Yes. Whether or not it was from previous missions or from your exhaustive activities yesterday," he says suggestively, but meaning his near dearth experience, "I repaired what I could. I hope you find everything well." Loke walks forward and hands Freed the bag as he sits on the desk, dishevelled once again. "Drop the clothes you're wearing off at Lucy's and I'll wash them and send them back. I'm already doing laundry and it really takes no time, so no worries. If you need anything else, let me know." He winks and walks away as a golden light makes him disappear.

Laxus shoots him a look, asking him silently if Loke is in on it, and the only thing Freed can do is send a helpless look back as he places the bag on the desk. Laxus sighs and stalks out of the room. "Wow. He really messed you up," Ever says after a minute of silence, hesitantly walking forward.

"Huh?"

"Laxus. Your hair is a mess again and your neck looks worse than earlier."

"What!" A hand rushes to his neck before he jumps off the desk towards the nearest bathroom before sighing at the image. He didn't know how big the one Lucy drew originally was, but this takes up about the size of his palm. And over the now-real mark, a pair of teeth are rapidly turning purple. _God, he bit harder than I thought,_ he thinks, running his fingers over it lightly. _At least he didn't break skin. Dragon slayers bite through with mates, and I don't think I would like being mated with him for life._

"You're lucky you wear something that covers your neck and doesn't look out of place on you," Ever smirks in the mirror. "There isn't a strong enough cover up to hide that in the world."

 _He went overboard. I'll have to get onto him about that and tell him what I had overheard from Gajeel on this. If he had bit through in that state, this set-up would have to be permanent for both of us._ Freed heaves a deep sigh. "Okay, get out." Ever and Bixlow look confused when he looks at them in the mirror. "I'm going to take a shower, so leave." Freed heads to the office to snatch the blue bag and takes a shower, folding Gray's clothes into the bag when he's done. Freed inspects his boots, expecting the salt water to have ruined them, but they seem even better than they were. _The heel is reinforced even. It's more solid. There's hardly even a scuff to them!_ It makes him happy and he leaves the bathroom ready to face the day and runs into Laxus.

"Where are you going?"

"To Lucy's. Loke said to drop Gray's stuff off there."

"He's not going to be there, is he?"

"I'm not sure. He might be since he is the one who _is_ going to wash them I suppose."

"I'm going with you."

 _Uh,_ "What?"

"I am going with you to Blondie's."

"Why do you need to go with?"

"Loke might be there."

"That isn't an explanation."

"It is my explanation."

"Okay, you _aren't_ going."

Laxus crosses his arms with a slightly smug smirk. "I rule myself. I am."

"I'll use that line later. For now though, stay here."

"I ain't some dog you can boss around, Freed. I am going with you."

"And you aren't a dog that needs to follow it's owner everywhere."

"You're not my owner." _First stand on the ground that you aren't a dog, not that I'm not your owner. As if someone could truly own_ you _._

"Well I'm pretty much your keeper." Freed says before he knows he's screwed. The glare the lightning mage looked as if to shock him like Natsu and he can almost feel it crackle off his skin like static pops, but all Laxus does is turn around and shut himself in his room. _Now I've done it._ Freed sighs and leaves for Lucy's.

Five minutes after Freed leaves, Laxus leaves his room. Ever looks up from the couch at him as he walks by to the entry way. "Where are you going?"

"Blondie's. Stay here."


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you sure he doesn't have a thing for you?" Lucy says after Freed recounts how things went that morning.

"Yes, Lucy, I'm sure. We aren't gay. We've known this for years."

"Can I see your neck?"

"Sure." He takes off his jacket and cravat before unbuttoning a handful of buttons and pulling the shirt aside.

He watches her eyes go round. "Holy..."

"Yeah, I was surprised too. I didn't even see what you did before."

"This is _way_ bigger." Her fingers lightly brush his neck, as if any more pressure would make it worse.

"Well, it's good to know Ever exaggerated when she first saw me. Not like I worried about it before, but now if someone sees me without this on that knows about it, it would draw attention," he laughs a bit.

She motions that he can cover up again. "And he's with you on this plan?"

"Yes. He said no more than two months though, but I'm sure that's long enough."

"I'm surprised he just walked away from your keeper remark."

"I was shocked as well. Well, not literally, but that's what surprised me. He looked angry as hell and it was silent as I walked by the two chatter birds on the way out. I still haven't talked to Gray." Freed shrugs on his jacket again.

"Loke went over there to have him meet here after a little bit, maybe a half hour from now. Told him to bring Natsu."

"Bix already put forth the assumption that Loke was involved with Gray and myself when Loke showed up, so apparently we had a three way in his eyes, and Loke didn't say anything that would dissuade that idea."

Lucy's nose scrunches up. "Is that even possible with guys?"

"Sure it is. It can be sort of a chain reaction type thing or man in the middle kind of thing." Freed watches her trying to picture it and can tell when something clicks in her mind when her eyes get really big and she starts turning red. "It gets to be a real party when it gets mixed with different toys," he says, giving her a grin.

She picks up a throw pillow and chucks it at him, but he easily catches it out of the air before it hits the lamp. "You need to stop that!"

"But you're fun to tease," he says.

"Yeah, but when you continue on like that, it's hard to believe you're not actually into him. Or that stuff."

"As you've learned your little tricks from books, so have I. Although, I do prefer more of the intellectual reads. But that last reference was real. I told you, I know for a fact I'm not gay."

"Ugh! You're going to poison my mind more than Cana!" She cries and covers her ears with her palms.

"That definitely is impossible. Have you heard her stories after she met her first lesbian couple and was able to ask all she wanted? I think even they got embarrassed. Until she dips through _all_ her stories, I can do no harm. But those hardly come up since there aren't really any in the guild."

"Well, you never kn-" There's a knock at the door. "You answer it," she says, getting up and easing to the kitchen. "I've got to get these other images out of my head."

He chuckles softly at her displeasure and opens the door to find Laxus there. "I thought you stayed behind."

"I didn't. Obviously." He steps forward and before he can cross the threshold, he runs into an invisible wall. "What the hell, Freed."

"It looks like you're blocked."

"Yeah, no shit. What's going on?"

"House rules," Freed says, pointing as the purple letters appear, reading 'Laxus Dreyar: Entry Prohibited'.

"Freed," he growls, getting ticked.

"Sorry." He leaves the door open and walks to the kitchen, silently casting the _Silence_ spell as he enters it. "It's Laxus at the door and he seems mad."

"Do you think he's going to hurt anything?"

"He may want to throttle _me_ ," Freed points out. "For the keeper thing and the fact that it's my runes keeping him outside."

"Your runes keep him out?"

"I made them to keep out anyone you don't personally invite in every time with a few exceptions."

"Exceptions?"

"Your landlady, emergency services, your spirits only if they are summoned inside of the barrier, and me."

"You?"

"Well I am the caster. I fundamentally shouldn't be prohibited."

"Can you add something?"

"If needed, yes."

"Now?"

"I do have my sword, so yes."

"Could you add a dampener for strong magic? That way people can have their magic, but can't smite people down in my house?" She smiles brightly.

"I think that's good." He takes out his sword and starts adding.

"He's a dragon slayer!" She gasps. "Shouldn't he be able to hear us?"

"I casted _Silence_ before I reached the kitchen."

"Good. Wait. Would the dampener mess with their senses?"

"No. Their senses are so ingrained in them it is a part of them. It doesn't take that much magic at all and wouldn't reach the Threshold limit I'm setting. Now, if you take away their invitation while they are inside, they will be in some pain with the compulsion to leave. But the runes will only hear the truth, so you can't be held against your will to let someone in. Oh, and you, and anyone connected with you, like your spirits, will be able to use their full powers. I'm only dampening others."

"Aside from yourself."

"Correct, or this whole process would be pointless." He finishes up and sheathes his sword. "I have pretty much the same runes around my room, but harsher if one tries to enter or tamper with them."

"Wow. Okay." She sets the tea she had made on a tray and snatches cookies from the top shelf to snack on. "Let's face the music."


	11. Chapter 11

Freed lifts the spell and they go out to the common area. Gray and Natsu have arrived with Loke and started trying the entrance, getting the same sign Laxus got and getting visibly frustrated. "Luce! Something is wrong with your house!"

"Nonsense," Loke says with confidence. "You just haven't been permitted to enter." He walks forward casually, but runs into the barrier. He touches it, bewildered, as Natsu and Gray laughs.

"Something wrong Loke?" Natsu asks, laughing it up.

"But I was just here earlier!"

"House rules," Freed repeats with the smallest of smiles. _I like when things go as planned._

"This is getting old, Freed," Laxus says, not liking to be on the same level as the others.

"It's actually relatively new," Lucy says, eyeing the purple letters. "But you were right; I should have done this years ago, Freed."

"Why am I not allowed, Luce?"

"It isn't that you aren't allowed, but you do need her permission," Freed clarifies.

"Oh. Well, may I come in?" Gray asks.

"Yes, you may come in."

Gray walks inside as the others walk too, but only he gets in. The letters flash to point out their message, but Gray's is different, having changed to 'Gray Fullbuster: Entry Granted'. "They are specific as I am, you guys" Freed says, "surely you all aren't Gray."

"Woah, it feels weird in here," Gray says and Lucy only smiles in answer.

Natsu and Laxus are the next ones in and Natsu is complaining about some uncomfortable feeling as they eat the treats, but Loke is still left outside. "Okay, what's going on here?" Loke says, looking at his sign and Freed looks to Lucy. It takes a moment for Freed, but it does click in his brain.

He walks up to her and whispers in her ear. "Can I talk to you a second?"

"But I have to-"

"Lucy, it is imperative that we talk now."

"But Loke-"

"Lucy. Come on." He grabs her hand and pulls her into the kitchen. "Wall. Silence."

He layers the spells with his eye and notes that Laxus registers what he had said. "Damn it Freed, what's going on?" Freed hears and he can see Laxus hit the wall with the side of his fist, but doesn't bother replying since Laxus wouldn't hear him anyway. Instead holds up a finger and turns to Lucy.

"What's going on with Loke?"

"What do you mean? It's _your_ runes keeping him out."

"My runes are perfect. It is you who are lying to them. Why don't you want Loke in here?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"That's what I'm asking. You're obviously not letting him in. Did something happen?" A thought crosses his mind and he grabs her arms. "Did he hurt you?"

"No! He would never hurt me. I trust him with my life!"

"Then why can't he enter? What happened? What'd he do?"

Tears spring up in her eyes. "He didn't do anything. None of them did." She starts really crying then. "It was me. Just me."

Natsu smells the salt of fresh tears over the treats and follow them to the wall where Laxus is leaning and sees her. "Why is Lucy crying?" She looks up when he says it and sees them looking at her as Gray walks over in curiosity. They can't hear or approach her, but they can see her. Her eyes widen and she tries to pull away and hide, but Freed keeps her in front of him, his back to the audience.


	12. Chapter 12

"Gray!" Loke calls from the door to get the ice mage to walk over. "What's going on?"

"I dunno man, she's just crying in the kitchen and Freed has stopped us from approaching. We can't even hear her." Loke hits the barrier at the door. "I don't think that's going to help." Loke snarls and hits it with his fists glowing repeatedly, his aim to get to his master.

 _I didn't have to be invited earlier! How do I get in now?_ He feels her distress from outside and spots her keys on a side table in the common area instead of her side. _Maybe if I go through there!_ He closes his eyes and shifts into the spirit world only to shift back into Lucy's apartment. When he opens his eyes, he finds the theory to be true and marches to where Laxus and the others are and starts hitting the wall.

"Great, you got in, but you're not going to get through the wall."

He watches Lucy's knees collapse and Freed put his arms around her as she cries into his shirt. "Watch me." He tries shifting again, but he can't shift into the kitchen and is only bounced back to where he entered the apartment the first time. He starts hitting the invisible wall with his glowing fists like it's a professional punching bag. "Lucy!" _She had stopped crying around me a while back, but clearly she hadn't stopped altogether. She must have been hiding it. I know there are still nightmares sometimes. Why won't she lets us in?_ A light haze settles around Loke. "Let us in Lucy!" He speaks for the spirits. "You can let us in! We aren't going to leave you alone!"

"Woah, Loke, calm down!" Gray says, grabbing his shoulder, only to be thrown away across the room as Loke gets annoyed.

"Don't tell me to calm down, human!" Leo growls. "You have no place in this conversation between us!" He goes back to fighting the wall. "We belong with you and serve you, Lucy. Please let us help you! Don't shut us out!"

"What are you talking about Leo?" Laxus asks, noting his use of the words 'human' and 'serve'. _He is not the guils's 'Loke' right now. He's entirely her spirit._

"Doesn't concern you, Dragon," he snarls, flashing his now sharp teeth.

"It obviously does, so spill."

"Even if I wanted to," he snarls, "I've been forbidden as a spirit to discuss it by Lucy."

"Could you tell us if you were acting as Fairy Tail's Loke?"

Leo finally looks Laxus in the eyes, a hearty dose of pure predator behind his now pure golden eyes. "There is no loophole for you here, Dragon. Back off." In a flash, Leo turns and catches the fist Natsu had aflame and squeezes it. "I have not turned Dark, Dragon." Natsu tries pulling away. "I won't fall for what you're planning."

"You're hands are going to burn, Loke! Let go!" Loke scoffs, but drops the hand. They hadn't even noticed the gloves he had on until he replaced them anew with a sparkle of light.

"Your flames are dim. You'll have to be in a space where you have the upper hand before you challenge a person."

"What are you calling dim?!" He lights his fists and hits the barrier with what he has. "What the-? That's not my power. What's going on?"

Laxus sighs and aims a bolt to take Natsu down and releases his magic, making Natsu fall, but able to stand back up in seconds. "A magic dampener. Freed must have set it up."

"That explains the weird feeling I have in my chest," Gray says, getting up off of the floor.

"From what it smells like, Blondie's spirits aren't affected."

"Good to know." Leo proceeds to punch the barrier.

"You aren't going to get through there with just brute strength," Laxus tells him, knowing from personal experience.

"Until you find a way to do so, I'm going to try."

"It's Freed's wall. It could have probably lessened how much of the Jupiter canon that Erza took on. Maybe have taken it all. He has spent years perfecting it and he can hold it almost indefinitely."

"It's that almost I'll cling to."

"She's still crying the same, but doesn't it smell like there are more tears?" Natsu asks, sniffing the air.

Laxus looks to the pair resting on the kitchen floor, Blondie fully in his arms and Freed bent over her. There's a slight tremble there that wasn't there before. "Leo, it officially involves me. You better tell me what's wrong."

He hits the wall again, but this time leaves his fist against it, glowing, as he looks at Laxus. "I can't. Even if I take pity. Even if I think it is for her well being. Even if she did really just let Freed know everything. If I were able, I would have told the guild months ago. The words 'under no circumstances whatsoever' binds me. I am unable."

"This has been going on for months?" Gray asks, bewildered.

Leo sighs. "I thought she was getting better," he says, more to himself. He hangs his head. "Now I know she isn't. I have to help her. I thought having _her_ speak to Lucy was a good thing, but it's not better. How do I make it better?"

 _Crap. Better bring him back._ "'Her'? Who is doing this to Lucy?"

"Lucy is doing this to Lucy. If it were anyone else, I could actively fix it. As it is, I wait."

"What good is waiting? You've said this has been months. Slap some sense into her and move on."

Leo drops his hand, then gears it up for another punch, but this time instead of hitting the wall, he catches Laxus off guard with a full punch to the face. "Get out. For suggesting such a thing ignorantly, get out."

"Woah, I'm all good with beating Laxus up, but I don't think that will fix anything," Natsu says, surprisingly sounding reasonable.

"No, it certainly isn't." Freed's sudden voice captures everyone's attention.


	13. Chapter 13

"Freed!"

Leo jumps up and rushes around him to find the barrier is still up. He then rounds back on the green haired mage, but is stopped when Freed meets him eye to eye. Then he sees the sadness within. "You know."

"Yes. But as a rune mage, I hold fast to my words since my word is literally the truth surrounding me at times. And she said that I can't tell anyone either."

"Do you know how to help her?"

"Honestly, I'm too shocked to think clearly about it right now. I didn't even imagine..."

"Who would?" Leo says bitterly.

"We're going to have to continue this conversation later in private, Leo, but it explains things at least. Now," he turns to the rest, "I'm going to bring Lucy back in here, and we will talk about what we originally brought you for. _No one is going to ask about what just happened here_. You do, an you'll be in Pain." There are silent nods all around and he takes the barrier down. Lucy walks out slowly, looking embarrassed and not meeting anyone's eyes. Then Leo rushes at her and wraps her in a hug, calming himself back down several steps when he's got her in his arms. _Well, she didn't ask for no hugs I guess, so he's technically safe._ He pulls Lucy to the couch and she sits curled up in Loke's lap with no outward protests as the others take seats. Freed stands in front of them all and straighten his shoulders, pushing what he just found out on the back burner.

"Okay. Yesterday, through a series of unfortunate events I'm not going to go in detail over for their irrelevance now, Lucy saved my life. I stayed the night here yesterday and borrowed Gray's extra clothes and went home knowing that Ever would take it as a sign that I was at Gray's for, ahem, private reasons. Yesterday I proved my own thoughts that the main ladies of Fairy Tail have these set rumors about me, and all of those gathered, and I want to mess with their heads to prove a point."

"What kinds of rumors?" Natsu asks with his hand in the air.

"That Laxus and I are in a relationship and that you and Gray are in a relationship. And that Loke is just, well, how Loke was. No offense," Freed covers, glancing at the lion spirit.

"None taken," he purrs, content to have his master back.

"So Ever thinks that we were together last night just because you were in my clothes?"

"Well, I had Lucy help pose me and used make-up to make love bites. And the way Loke waltzed into our house, they have it in their minds that all of us were..."

"But Gray's not even my friend!" Natsu yells, a little slow on the uptake.

"People don't believe that's all apparently."

"So what's the plan?"

"We're going to rile the girls up before showing them the truth. The point is to get them to mind their own business. Lucy will be our informant on our progress. At most it will run six months. You can think about it like a mission if needed be."

"So make them think we are, and then flip it on them. I can handle that."

"Good. Natsu's your partner."

"What?!" They both exclaim. "I can't work with him!"

"Why not? You're already in sync," Laxus points out.

"You're already coupled in their minds and they are telling it like fact to newcomers like Lucy."

"I heard much of the same when I entered the guild," Loke speaks up. "That's why I approached you."

"Wait, you and Freed actually-"

"It was a long time ago, Laxus," Freed interrupts while shaking his head. "That's done now."

"It was fun though," Loke grins.

"You aren't making this better, cat."

"But it's the truth." Everyone is looking back and forth between them in a sort of awe.

"I still don't see why I have to be with Gray," Natsu mumbles, not caring.

"I don't know how they paired any of us up, but this is it."

"So kind of like when some people come out and say they are gay, your plan is to mess with their heads and then come out as straight?" Loke asks.

"More or less, yes."

"Okay. Count me in whenever you guys need me."

"If we're all paired, why is Loke here?" Natsu asks.

"Oh, for the little things," Loke begins to answer. "For jealousy and lovers' spats. For added spice to blow their minds since they now know I've been alive for centuries. To give you information you need to pull this off without a hitch and provide any props that might be needed. That, and I've been listening to them for years right along with Lucy. I pretty much know how all of their BL clocks tick. And I want to see it when you guys tell them. I've have a few bets to win against Erza and Master."

"Gramps is in on it too?" Laxus asks. "And he's bet that I...? Well hell. Now I really have to prove him wrong."

"I want in on the bets," Gray says.

"I can take your guys' bets as my own. I haven't started anything, so it wouldn't be trouble. And it wouldn't even look weird if I say so suddenly after all this time; they've been running for years," Lucy speaks up quietly. "I may even still have the blank ticket Cana gave me before Tenrou."

"Cool, thanks Lucy."

"Laxus and I are in, are you two? I want to be sure."

"I'll do it," Gray says.

"If Ice Prick here thinks he can pull it off, then I'm in."

"Of course I can pull it off, Flamebrain. In fact, I'm sure I can do it better than you."

"You're on!" Natsu lights his fist in anticipation of a fight, but Gray grabs his scarf and pulls Natsu forward and crashes their lips together, making everyone surprised with the sharp, yet smooth turn of events.


	14. Chapter 14

Natsu's and Gray's kiss lasts five full seconds. Gray even slips in his tongue, before Natsu's mind reforms enough at the turn of events to pull away. He doesn't even have the mind to act, as fire would be the first instinct, including breaking all the furniture. Loke is the first to speak. "I knew it." That admittance has everyone staring at the lion spirit as he grins devilishly.

"You didn't know anything," Gray says coolly, not taken aback by Loke's words.

"Fine. But instead of going after Freed, I should have gone after you."

"Well, because you went after Freed, you can't come after me."

"It would be fun," he smiles devilishly.

"Guildmate rules, Loke."

Lucy's eyes get wide as it sinks in. "So Gray is actually-"

"No, Lucy. Bi, but preference for females."

"So how some think of Laxus?" Freed inquires.

"I guess. I just don't want to be seen as a full fledged homosexual. I can't deal with longer relationships with guys. Men's egos gets to be a huge issue and that's a big turn off for me. Another reason Natsu and I wouldn't make it. More than a couple months at least." Everyone looks at Natsu then and see he's still gaping like a fish. "Idiot," Gray sighs before leaning forward and giving him a chaste peck on the lips that makes him move.

"What do you think you're doing!" He yells, making Lucy and Loke wince because of the small area.

"If you can't handle this much, we might as well not do this. They would expect this much at the guild and you can't entirely blow up, but if you _do_ keep pulling away at this point, they'll think you're tsundere."

Natsu looks at Gray, not even hiding that he doesn't understand, but continues on his own train if thought. "I didn't know you also liked guys. That explains why you smelled like that one guy from Sabertooth during the Games."

Everyone looks at Gray now. "That didn't happen; we really did run in to each other."

"Which guy is he talking about?" Lucy asks.

"Rufus, the memory make one I fought against in the first Games? His ego is more profound than Natsu's; not bigger, but deeply layered. And he's always wearing that stupid masquerade mask. Everywhere. It's unsettling to say the least. Although, there was that one wild night after the dragon attack that I kissed Rogue. But that was more like we were both happy to be alive rather than we actually liked one another."

"Wait, I thought Rogue and Sting were-"

"That would be a rumor, much like Freed and Laxus. They were raised together like brothers. Protection over dragon kin though shines similarly like jealousy. Besides, Sting already fancies a girl."

"Haha, you actually used 'fancies' in a sentence," Loke snickers.

"Well whose fault is that, Loke? You speak with some old tongue occasionally. It rubs off."

"It's just nice to know you pay attention."

"Are we done here?" Laxus asks gruffly from the chair.

"Oh, yes." Freed stirs himself from listening to everyone just in the background as he thinks about earlier. "I think that covers anything. Just Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Happy."

"Why?"

"Happy can't keep a secret," Lucy says, "and he's already in the betting pool."

"For me and Gray, or against?"

"I'm not going to tell you that. But he can't keep this all a secret. And you can't let the act falter around him."

"Fine, but you owe me dinner, Luce."

"How does that mean I owe you dinner?"

"You cook good. But you'll have to make it tomorrow; Happy's going to be back from Lisanna's where Wendy and Carla are and I was going to go fishing with him."

"Fine, but you have to bring what you're eating."

"Fish it is then." He hops off the couch and heads to the door. "We'll catch lots. See you later Luce!"

Gray gets up from the couch where he was and Lucy stops him from leaving quite yet. "First off, grab your shirt." He looks down and grabs the item from the floor. "In the hall closet there is a basket of clothes that you have left here since the last time I had a basket ready. Just bring the basket back so I have it again."

"Thanks, Lucy. Without you I would probably have to buy them all again."

"You're welcome. Loke will send over what Freed was wearing last night when he's done."

"Okay." He leaves with the clothes.

"Come on Freed," Laxus says, getting up from the chair.

"You can go ahead. I still have to talk to Loke."

"Now?"

"It's a good time, isn't it? Just go back home and rest."

"You're talking to him alone?"

"Yes. It's a private matter that doesn't concern you at the moment."

"I'm staying as long as you're here."

"It could take a while."

"I can wait."

"Oh please. You're not as bad as Natsu, but your patience is low."

"You should rest, Lucy," Loke says.

"You guys can talk here," she says to Freed. "Just use your silencer or whatever in my room and talk. Laxus can stay out here if he wants. If I fall asleep I will."

Loke looks to Freed. "Will that be alright?"

"So long as he is sure of his patience. I can put up a wall too so no one walks in unexpectedly."

"Alright, now go." Loke stands up with Lucy and puts her on the couch and leads Freed to her room, leaving Laxus and Lucy alone.

Lucy waits a minute after the door closes before sitting up. "Is the wall or whatever up?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Let's go." She gets up and grabs her purse.

"Go where Blondie?"

"The market. I have to pick something up for dinner."

"Your dinner with Natsu is tomorrow, so just go then."

"I'm going to make dinner for all of you guys. You can see if Evergreen and Bixlow are free as well."

"Don't you have to rest?"

"Like I'm going to be able to rest, knowing what they are talking about. It really will be a while if they're talking about what I know they are. So you can either sit here and stare at the wall, or come along with me." She starts walking and he heaves a sigh before following her.

"Loke's going to have my head, knowing you aren't even attempting to rest as he said to."

"He'd have to have mine first, and that ain't happening." They leave and pick up the other team mates and head to the market as the other two don't even know they've left.


	15. Chapter 15

"She didn't tell me every detail, so you're going to have to fill things in. What I could make out for sure is that she broke Aquarius's key, summoned the Celestial Spirit King, and saved all of us while ending the fight for good while no one else can remember how we did it. Or even how he did it."

"How he did it won't matter. It's just fighting and magic only he can use. It isn't like anyone else could replicate it for another battle. Aquarius was the one who told her about breaking her key to summon the king."

"She didn't tell me that Aquarius told her."

"Of course she wouldn't. Anyway, Aquarius also made up some stupid reasons why her key should be the one broken and they were yelling back and forth and Lucy was even crying at the thought of it then. Lucy knew Aquarius was putting up a front and it made it harder on her."

"What does breaking the key entail? I had never heard of someone doing that before."

Loke sits down on Lucy's bed and Freed sits on her chair for the desk, facing Loke. "Because people generally don't know about it, and they would not want to. The key holder themselves has to break it, it having to be a Zodiac key in particular, intentionally, otherwise it won't happen. It severs the bond between wizard and spirit more so than just letting them out of the contract. It got rid of Aquarius's key on Earthland until it can regenerate. No one else has access to her."

"That's serious."

"Yes, but when the key comes back in a year, Lucy is able to have it again. She just has to find it."

"So they're just split for a year?"

"It sounds simple, but it isn't. Not for them. They haven't been apart since before her mother died. Aquarius was one of the first spirits and friends that Lucy had. In a way she was a second mother figure."

"Oh."

"Yes. And then there is the breaking of the key. In a sense it's a broken contract or promise."

"'And a celestial mage never goes back on their word'," Freed says. "She has said that so many times it kind of just passes overhead, but this would go against everything she is."

"Yeah. She won't talk to me or anyone else about it, but I gather she feels like she betrayed Aquarius and has a huge guilt burdening her."

"She doesn't talk to you guys about it?"

Leo shakes his head. "She doesn't summon anyone. I've kept track of it. I come by every couple of hours now to make sure she is alright, but it used to be every five to ten minutes."

"That often?" Freed imagines Loke popping in and out of sight like a magical game of peek-a-boo.

"That's in our time. One day there is three months here, so about seven and a half days here is a couple of hours."

"So you're here about once a week."

"Yeah. But I used to be here every...eight to fifteen hours? Give or take? Mostly to make sure she was eating and sleeping. Yesterday was the first day she had summoned me willingly, and she didn't allow me to speak while helping you. Today is the most we have spoken for months, and it started with written instructions to drop your stuff off and get the others. It's the first she hasn't ignored me. The last one she talked to was Capricorn on that cliff. She held his gate open all day and was doing something with him." Loke laughs and falls back onto the bed. "You know, the first thing she said directly to me again, that wasn't her getting you help and ordering my silence, was inviting me inside. But apparently she didn't even want me in; she couldn't say it honestly."

"I caught that too. I took her aside wondering if you had done something to her or if there was a reason you shouldn't be with her and she broke down. But you're right, she does hold herself responsible and has been beating herself up since before breaking that key. Ever since she knew she had to."

"I don't know what to do Freed. My words are tied around me. I can only talk to you because you know as well." Leo make a noise between a self-demeaning laugh and a scoff. "It just figures that she would finally open up to someone that holds words in such a high regard. I'm kind of wishing she told Natsu."

"That would have been a disaster and you know it."

"But they would _know_. You guys could help her."

"We can only help her if she wants it, Leo."

"Why are you so reasonable?"

"It got imbedded into my nature. I can try work on it, but there'll be no immediate results."

"No, you're one of the sane ones. But what can we spirits do to help her if she doesn't want anyone to know?"

"Maybe she just needs them to know on her own terms."

"She only spoke to _you_ because her emotions overflowed."

"And now I can work as a confidant."

"I can't see that happening too easily."

"Well, for starters, I'm not going to make her talk to me."

Leo lifts his head up to look at Freed who is browsing the books on the shelves. "How would that-"

"I mean it so that she would not feel pressured to tell me." He takes a book off the shelf and puts it back in order, easily seeing a pattern with Lucy's books. "I would just be an option."

"Showing up that often wasn't good, huh?"

"She is dealing with a loss of one of her own. There may be deep reasons why she doesn't actively search out for people, like when her mother died." Freed pauses for effect to get Loke to think about it. "Or maybe you're just an obsessive and aggressive lion that won't give her the needed space to let her grieve properly," Freed finds himself scolding Leo in the end.

"Fine. My methods weren't the best, but my intentions were good."

"I don't doubt it." He turns back to the books and reads over the titles as he speaks. "You guys are bound not only in contract, but a mutual feeling of respect and gratitude with similar background situations that make it clear that you two would literally not be here if one or the other hadn't existed at the right time. However, the methods she used of forcing you to see reason, and the headstrong and bold fashion she used when meeting with the spirit king, are not ones you should employ when trying to help her in kind. You two are different from one another, and likewise react differently. Your oppressiveness that accompanies your eagerness to help could bring back bad memories. Have you considered plainly _asking_ how you can help? Or at the very least performing an inquiry with Aquarius about her past and brainstorming _with the one who knows her best_ about how to help her?" It is silent for a minute before Freed looks back with a book in his hand to ask to borrow from Lucy and sees a dumbfounded look on Leo's face. "Have I said something to trouble you?"

"No, I just realised how much of an idiot I am and how much of a genius you are."

"Genius, I wouldn't know, but I appreciate the sentiment."

"You aren't denying the idiot part."

"Why should I? You even admit to it." Freed sits at Lucy's desk and opens the book and starts reading. "Now go find Aquarius. Lucy must be resting by now."

"And you've still got things to learn," Loke chuckles as he disappears.


	16. Chapter 16

"Shit."

"Yeah."

Laxus looks at his untouched whiskey. "You didn't have to tell me."

"I think I knew that, but I did anyway."

"Are you going to swear me to secrecy?"

"If I did, would it matter?" She smiles. "You live by your own rules. If you really wanted to, you would tell regardless."

"I guess so."

"You would just have to care enough about it first."

He doesn't respond to that, already feeling a change in his chest with her since about the middle of her story. "Want to thank her and that king of theirs for us, Blondie?"

"Yeah." She twirls her empty shot glass with a wry smile. "Next time I see them I will."

"So. Why tell _me_?"

She thinks about it. "You were curious, but not enough to ask me outright. I didn't feel I _needed_ to explain. You're intimidating, sure, but you didn't demand it of me, even if you demanded it of Loke. Even now you're not trying to console me. You didn't try to say you were sorry. Ha. You even wanted to thank them."

"It would be polite."

"You aren't exactly one to stand on the premise of politeness. Freed though, yeah. But he is already trapped in words now anyway, so it doesn't matter. No one has said that though. Granted, I haven't exactly told them." She grabs the drink in front of Laxus and sips on it. "Capricorn avoided the subject when I summoned him when things had just settled down and I find that I am grateful to him for that. He looked ready to start saying stuff and all of that, but we only just trained. That was it."

"That's the goat from Tenrou, right?"

"Yes. He was possessed or something then, but he was one of the last who were from my time with my mom, like...Aquarius. I wanted him around for that reason, but I didn't want to speak with him about it. Is that weird?"

"Would it matter if it was?"

Lucy let's out a short laugh. "I guess not." She drinks the rest of the drink and lays her head on her arms, looking up to Laxus. "How were you when you were exiled? I'm sure you saw your team from time to time, but you were alone for the most part, right?"

"I would need the drink you downed to start that subject. And even then, no."

"Fine."

"Besides, it is irrelevant. You are never alone Blondie. You said you weren't going to call your spirits until you get the one back out of some misguided responsibility tick you have got going on, but you have the guild too."

"But I can't tell them about it."

"You don't have to. Just lean on them, Blondie. Aren't you the one going on about family with the Flametard?"

She sits back up and orders another round for them, glancing down at the grocery bags they had. She had pulled him into the bar on the way to his house to get Evergreen and Bixlow, ordered the drinks, and told him before her nerve left her. "I have nightmares."

"It's good we're not having rum then," Laxus says as they arrive.

She smiles before it leaves again. "In them I have no one. How it happens is different every time, but it ends the same." A shiver goes up her spine. "All my friends, my family. Night after night." She downs the new shot, feeling a slight tickle in her senses.

"That blows. But it probably isn't going to happen. We are a lively batch of cockroaches."

"Ugh."

"If you want sweet words, go to Freed."

"He wasn't as bad as Loke, but you're fresh. Everything is cut and dry, not having the sense that I'm made of glass, which is a confidence booster, and it isn't even on purpose. And," she says, snatches the second whiskey, "you let me take your drinks."

"What if I was going to drink that one?"

"I don't care. But this will probably be the last one I have." She drinks half of it and exhales.

"Well I hope so. I double my whiskeys, so you're at six hard drinks in about an hour."

"No wonder my senses are off."

"In fact," he says, snatching it back before she finishes it, "I'm cutting you off at five." He downs it and stands up. "Let's go get my team, Blondie. I'm sure you can't cook how you are, but Freed can. They've probably noticed we've been gone by now." He grabs all of the groceries when she wobbles to her feet.

"That was more than I thought."

"You were mixing your liquor as well. Come on. I don't want to have to carry you with all of this, so let's at least make it to my place."

"Okay, okay." They head out, Lucy trailing right behind Laxus, walking with concentration where his feet go. "Maybe if Loke is there I can have him make dessert."

"We just left the market, Blondie," he says, tired.

"I already have the stuff for cake. Or should I make it to apologize?"

"Apologise?"

"You know, for ignoring everyone when they just wanted to help me and everything?"

"I don't see why you would have to apologise." They approach the door and he kicks the door since his hands are full. "It isn't like you put the guild through hell while furthering your agenda."

Even drunk, she catches his regretful tone. "No one holds that to you anymore. It happened years ago."

"No one will hold you to your actions now is the point. If anything, have him make the cake to apologise for smothering you in the beginning."

She giggles and agrees before the door opens to Evergreen. "Okay Laxus," she says. "I'm sorry about this."

"It's nothing."

"That's not what I meant. I mean, it is, but it isn't. Five is too much after all." The strength leaves her body and she collapses forward, right into Evergreen, who, although confused greatly, catches her with ease with her reflexes.

"I knew five was too much," Laxus sighs.

"What happened? What are you doing with Lucy?"

"We got groceries. She's drunk. We're going to her place for dinner. Where's Bixlow?"

"Here," he pops out from behind the door.

"Good. Take these." He shoves the bags to him and picks Lucy up carefully. "Let's go. Freed's waiting." He turns and leaves them to follow. They make it to Lucy's door, but the wall stops him, the purple letters flashing. "Damn it. I have her right here though."

"What's going on? Are these Freed's?" Ever asks.

"Yes. We have to have Blondie's permission to enter."

"Where's Freed?"

"In her room probably, talking to Loke behind Silence."

"Now what?" Bixlow asks.

"Hey Blondie." He lightly shakes her to rouse her. "Come on Blondie, we need you to wake up to let us in. We'll have Freed rethink the parameters of the runes later, but you need to wake up." She doesn't stir.

"Lucy, come on, get up," Evergreen prods.

"If she were awake I could make her."

"Freed has a will mechanism on it or something, so that won't work Bix."

"Fine then." Laxus sends electricity to his palms and lays it it in one short burst, zapping the mage awake with a jolt and yell.

"What!" She yells, immediately glaring at the man holding her.

"We can't get in. The runes make us worse than vampires. And Freed's not in sight of the front door."

"You guys can enter," she says tiredly while leaning back into the arms around her and closing her eyes. "Just don't leave because I need to sleep again."

She passes out again. "Noted." They walk across the threshold and Laxus makes tracks to where Lucy's room and bangs on the door as she falls deeper asleep. A startled Freed looks up from the book he had borrowed and was halfway done with. "Of course you would be reading."

"What happened?" His eyes are wide as he lets the wall down and Laxus strides over to the bed and lay her down.

"Blondie's drunk. Odd though, she isn't a messy drunk, slurring words as such. Reminds me of you."

"Why did you get her drunk?"

"I _didn't_ get her drunk. She's the one who stopped me and we went to the bar. She got herself drunk and drank my drinks. By the way, Ever and Bix are here, Bix has our groceries."

"Groceries?"

"She wanted to make diner and invite Bix and Ever, but passed out when we got there. Had to zap her to get her to wake up and give us permission to get inside."

"You didn't hurt her, did you?"

"No, just got her up, but she was pissed. Make the runes a bit more flexible, will ya?"

"I'll do it after we eat." Freed leaves the room and comes back with a glass of water and a couple of pills for her bedside. After that they go out and Freed puts his hair up to start working on what was bought for dinner.


	17. Chapter 17

After dinner, they sat in the living room. Freed makes it known that he was going to stay put to make sure she is fine and Laxus makes it obvious that he wasn't going to just leave Freed at Lucy's. One thing led to another, and all of the team is staying at Lucy's after Freed runs back to get overnight stuff since he can enter without Lucy's permission, rejecting the thought of just tearing them down. Evergreen sleeps in Lucy's room while the guys crash in the living room.

It's two in the morning when Evergreen is woken up by a whimpering Lucy. "Is everything alright?" A sleepy Ever asks, kneeling by the bed and noticing that the blonde isn't even conscious. _It must be a bad dream._ "Come on, let's wake up from it," she yawns, prodding the girl's backside. Lucy flinches away from Evergreen's touch and continues on. Ever doesn't pay attention to changes in Lucy's breathing or how tensely wound up she is getting in the dream. "Lucy, it's just a dream, so please wake up and calm down." Evergreen reaches out, grabs her arm, and pulls her flat onto her back. Unknown to Evergreen until it is too late, that triggers something in the dream and Lucy starts thrashing around like she's being trying to break free of something as she starts pleading, even screaming for the unknown thing to stop as tears roll down her face.

This causes Evergreen to fully wake up and panic, trying to get the girl to wake up entirely and two of the three men to spring awake in the living room and rush in to Evergreen hovering over Lucy, waving her hands all around telling her to calm down frantically. "What happened?!" Freed asks, bewildered at the panicking Evergreen.

"I don't know! She woke me up because it seemed like she was having a bad dream and when I tried to wake her she freaked!" Freed steps forward and takes Evergreen from the bed and Laxus sits down next to Lucy.

"Blondie, wake up!"

"I don't think that will help her, Laxus."

"If you have a better idea, then come out with it Freed. Otherwise, take Evergreen out of here." He and Ever leave the room and Laxus studies the now-quietly-sobbing girl curled up in the sheets. "Blondie, it's okay now. We're here." He gently touches her back and she flinches from the touch. "No one's going to hurt you. We're all fine."

"Lies. No more, please!"

"We aren't going to disappear, Blondie."

"Not r-r-real. Not p-possible."

"I'll zap you awake." She continues crying in a small little ball. "I wasn't bluffing. I can do it just like earlier."

"What are you planning?" Freed comes back into the room.

"I'm going to zap her awake."

"That really doesn't seem like it is going to help her mental state."

"Tough luck," he replies, and before Freed can move, Lucy starts screaming.

"Laxus!"

"I ain't doing this, I swear!" He yells back, holding up his hands.

Loke appears then and starts yelling. "What the hell is going on?!

"Blondie's having another nightmare!"

Loke's eyes get wide, but Freed is confused. "Another?"

"What do we do?"

"I don't know! I've never known. Not even when I brought Aquarius before did we know!"

"So we just have to do nothing?!"

"We've never been able to wake her!"

"Forget that! She can't stay like this! Freed, start the bath!"

"What!"

"Start. It. Make it cold." Freed scurries away under his glare and Loke steps forward.

"What are you planning?"

"I'm waking her. And if Freed thinks I shouldn't do it my way, I'll try another."

"You're going to drown her!"

"No, I'm not. Once she's awake, Freed can cast Calm on her until she levels out. Unlike Pain or Fear though, the person has to be awake."

"So you've actually thought this through."

"I resent that implication: I'm not dumb."

"Clearly."

"Hmm...the bath isn't done yet," Lauxus says impatiently. "It would be faster with Juvia."

"I can go out and get her!" Loke says, wanting to see Lucy out of distress as soon as possible as well.

"How quick can you be?"

"Under a minute."

"Do it." Like disappears in a flash to go after Juvia and Freed goes back to shut the water off. If he heard Laxus correctly, the water that would've been collected wouldn't have been helpful, even as cold as it is. Freed calls Evergreen to start making tea for all who is up and soon enough Juvia is there, slightly discombobulated from the brief trip to the spirit world.

"What do you need me to do?" She asks, eyeing the celestial mage.

"Your Water Lock thing, and fast."

Juvia wakes up then and eyes Lucy. "But she's sleeping!"

"Do it," Laxus growls, patience gone for those not heeding his command.

Juvia pushes away any trepidation and locks Lucy in, her screams becoming silenced almost immediately with a need for air. Freed is about to call it off when the blonde's motion slows gracefully. Her outfit changes in a flash and her legs morph into a tail. Her breaths are smooth and even in the water. Loke gasps, realising what has happened. "They never told me...I should have known."

"She's...breathing?" Freed walks closer to look at her.

"I did not make an air bubble for Lucy; this is the same water lock I used when I kidnapped her for Phantom!" Juvia hastily says in case Laxus gets mad at her again. Lucy opens her eyes and everyone is startled by their blue colour. She looks at all of them before reaching a hand out to touch the edge of the ball. Juvia's eyes widen when she feels her magic intertwining with another's that feels like when they were at the Tower of Heaven. "Aquarius's magic," she says in awe.

The ball reforms while keeping it's properties, almost making a shallow pool in the air that when she is 'sitting' at the bottom, it goes up to her underarms.

"I didn't even know that Aquarius did that. That explains why she isn't as moody as I thought she would be." Loke muses out loud.

"Hello everyone," the blonde speaks an they all freeze, collectively looking at her.

 _That's not Lucy's voice._


	18. Chapter 18

_No, wait, that's ridiculous. It must be her voice,_ Freed reasons, _but something must be wrong with it._

"You guys look spooked."

"What's going on, Blondie? You don't smell right."

"Hmm...it isn't quite time yet. Why am I...? No matter. Soon enough. Sooner yet. Almost ready." The water reforms so that she is vertical again, water reaching mid-chest in a column. "Hope you can catch."

Like strings being cut, Lucy drops suddenly in the water, quickly going back to normal as her scream is cut out by water. Clear sounds of her being suffocated sends Freed into action. "Juvia, pull back the lock! Try not too mess up the place though." Laxus reaches forward and yanks her from the water and she starts sputtering, her brown eyes wide. Her body starts shaking and she clutches onto him, burying her face into his chest as the sobbing starts anew. This time, however, she is awake. Juvia takes the water, carefully through the air to the bathroom to drain it and the tub as Freed walks forward to Lucy and Laxus on the floor. "Lucy? Can you look at me a second?" She shakes her head, closing her eyes and keeping her face into Laxus, tears making their way down her cheeks. "Lucy, I need you to look at me, just for a second. I can help you calm down." Her crying gets slower as she gets more air, and the noise of it starts slipping away, as if being drained from her.

"You can't help me!"

"Blondie, you need all the help you can get."

"You _can't_ help me."

"Sure we can help you, Lucy," Loke says, approaching her.

"You can't help me." Her voice slides to almost monotone levels as she suddenly lapses into a trance. If she were facing them, they would only see flat brown eyes, like that of her in the clock.

"Get her a towel or blanket, Freed, she's shaking." Freed sets off to do both.

"You can't help me."

"I wasn't talking to you. I don't care that you think I can't help you, but I'm going to do it anyway."

"You can't help me."

"What did I just say, Blondie?"

"You can't help me."

"No, th-"

"Laxus, I don't think she's listening to you. I don't think she is listening to anyone." Loke says as Freed comes back to wrap her up. Her eyes are shut tight now with a pained expression on her face, but she doesn't bury her head into Laxus's chest again.

"You can't help me."

"See? Not a change and we weren't even talking to her. This hadn't happened the other times she got a nightmare through. Something isn't right." _Something is building inside of her, but I can't tell what it is. It's too vauge to pinpoint.  
_

"You can't help me."

"So we just ignore what she's saying?"

"Weren't you going to do that anyway?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"You can't help me."

"What the hell do we do?"

"Do you think she'll stop responding if we quit talking?"

"We can try."

"You can't help me." They stay silent and Ever creeps into the now quiet room, handing out the tea with Bixlow. Juvia silently makes her way back into the room. They don't stop Ever from offering the refreshment to her.

"Lucy? Here's some tea."

"You can't help me."

"Why can't I help you?"

"Ever," Freed starts.

"You'll go away." The three look again at her with the new response offered, but the pained face doesn't leave. Freed motions for Evergreen to continue.

"Who told you that?"

There is a slightest draw at her eyebrows different from the pain that was there previous. "No one?"

"How did you get to that idea?"

"Past events. Future promises."

"What does that mean?"

"You can't help me."

Ever then backtracks. "Because I'll go away?"

"You will go away."

"What does that mean?"

Lucy's head tilts slightly with her eyes still closed. "Where do people go when they go away?"

"What do you mean by away?"

"Away. Gone. Elsewhere."

"Depends if they want to then."

"Would you want to go away?"

"Depends on the occasion. I love the beach."

"Occasion...No." Laxus picks up on some fluctuating smell coming off of her and he tenses, not knowing what it means. The hair on the back of Loke's neck starts standing up and snarls build up in both of them. " _You_ can't help me."

"Why can't I help, Lucy?"

"You _want_ to help?"

"We all want to help."

" _You_ want to help?"

"Of course I want to help." An odd smile breaks on Lucy's face that confuses everyone aside from Bixlow as dread fills him, almost remembering that smirk. "Then help me." Her grin grows and it clicks as to why he would be uneasy. Bixlow reacts on instinct.

"Everyone! Shut your eyes!" He yells as Lucy's eyes open to reveal a brilliant sky blue.


	19. Chapter 19

Everyone's eyes are shut tight due to his warning and just sit and listen to them after he warns them not to speak unless he is the one asking them to. Juvia, who had came back into the room had dropped to her knees as she closed her eyes, covering them with her hands as an extra precaution. "You know, Bix, you aren't really any fun anymore." It still sounds like Lucy now, but it is like it has lost it's lighter side and gained something else. Something almost cutely cruel.

"Just because I won't let you take control of my friends?"

"Yes. I know it was a long time ago, but don't you remember the thrill of it?"

"I don't quite remember it that way."

"Of course you don't, but you can learn again."

"What have you done to Lucy, Selena?"

"You mean this chick? Isn't it obvious? I've taken her. But you missed my little show earlier."

"The nightmare was you?"

"They've always been me." She stands up from Laxus's lap and walks around the room, pausing a few inches from everyone's eyes for a few seconds to see if they'll open to her presense. "And she has so much material to work with. It isn't hard to find what will make her scream. After all, she does love her precious family."

"But you haven't gotten her entirely. Otherwise you wouldn't be resorting to that."

"Still just as smart as ever, Bix. I caught her on a bad day whenever I finally found you again. It hasn't always been easy, getting to this point, but even the glare on your face is interesting. You can stop prodding me with your magic though; you aren't going to get through."

"Hm. I see you've practiced your long distance control since I last knew you."

"My hold on her is good, even when inactive. And you've never really been good at finding the true me."

"Don't tell me-"

"Yup! I am many. I've been traveling a while, so I've got sleepers almost everywhere. This girl though, she is the most interesting of them though. I've never seen a celestial mage as her. They've always intrigued me with their control over their spirits. Are they not another form of Seith mage then?"

"That's ridiculous. Those are her family. You don't take control of family."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" She laughs darkly. "But they don't all treat them like family, do they? Are those similar?"

"Celestial mages are holder types with a consensual contract that they can free themselves from. They aren't like you."

"But there was one I met, a long time ago now, that made them do their bidding, just like us. No different than your dolls-"

"My babies are different than your newest methods."

"Still a sensitive subject, alright, I'll respect that."

"Since when have you cared?"

"I haven't. Maybe I lost you because of that."

"You didn't have me."

"Whatever. Anyway, back to my fascination, this girl has so many spirits. I've seen her key ring. The only other celestial wizard I've tried taking was that one with the horses. Blue Pegasus, Karen Lilica, was it?" There isn't an audible response from Bixlow, but Leo growls. "I did not even notice that was you over there, Leo the Lion. Wait, she calls you Loke. Why was that? Let me check. You got exiled, but she brought you back, but you were the flamboyant spark that was Fairy Tail's playboy. If you hadn't pulled that stunt at Blue Pegasus, she wouldn't have crumpled like she did under me." Selena crouches in front of Loke, waiting for his eyes to open. "The strain was too much for her, but I did see about you before Bix and his team took out my people. Rebellious sort, aren't you? When will you turn on this one?"

"She's baiting you, Loke. Don't fall for it. Don't speak, don't open your eyes. Go back if you can't control yourself."

"I've got control of another one of your masters now. The last one ended up dead. Will this one?" She taunts him to find a weakness to pounce on. "You don't want to leave her in such a state, even for a few minutes. You won't go back. Not while I'm here. But none of you will launch an attack. That's why Lucy was so good to try and control. None would think to harm the light of Fairy Tail. And after she broke that key, she was just mine for the taking. Tell me, Lion, did you notice when I invaded your master? Did you see me at all? I've been here a while and you haven't even noticed. Sure, you checked up on her incessantly in the beginning, but did you see the change? Any at all? Or were you too blind to take care of your master correctly? Are you not as devoted as you say you are?" Leo growls and Bixlow warns him off again. "Your master is crying, Lion, and you can't save her without showing her the ultimate merciful task."

"She's lying. Lucy is unconscious as all are when we take over. It is a pause in consciousness."

"Ha. Shows what you know. I've figured out that consciousness bit."

"It's a bluff."

"Sure, I can't get them to remember later what went on yet, but I'm getting closer. But she is begging against me, much like what she was earlier in her dream. But unlike that pathetic girl on Galuna Island, I _can_ control her, not just you spirits." Her hand touches the side of his face gently, just as she had before. "I know what she knows, I control what she does. And if I want to summon little Aires out and control her too, I will. Boy, that thought got a rise out of her. And it's no wonder why! You guys have been put together before in battle. You're betrayal with Karen stems from a mistreatment of Aires too. This is perfect- would you stop trying to take control of me, Bix?"

"Why would I?"

"It's annoying. You're only tiring yourself out. You think you can push me out? I've trained so much to be able to stand before you again."

"But you're not. You're behind Lucy."

"Standing by proxy then. But it doesn't matter. Thanks to your friend Freed, your power is weakened in my space."

"What is she talking about, Freed?"

"I felt it when I locked Lucy in the water." Juvia says. "It wasn't as powerful and it tired me quicker to keep it that long, even if that was one of the first spells I learned. It's even raining again."

"Don't speak Juvia. Answer me, Freed."

"I may have put a dampener on the apartment."

"Idiot!"

"What? She had asked me to."

"You influenced her descision, didn't you?"

"So what if I did? She still thought Laxus here was going to fry Freed. I only added the benefits of keeping Natsu from completely destroying her place that made her make the choice."

"A voice in the back of the head."

"Yes. I've slowly gained ground with this one, unlike my other attempts. And I've tested her too. Made her jump right off a cliff."

"That was you?" Freed asks her, drawing her over to him from where she was by Leo.

"No more, Freed," Bixlow says. He's about to protest, but he shuts his mouth.

"Yes, it was me. I made her jump. I didn't see that other magic coming though, that was interesting. But I directed her and she did. She so willingly listened, especially after using a voice she trusted and knew. I copied the voice and she dove with joy. Then her magic kicked in, and although it was unsettling at first, it was pretty cool. It's too bad how she got it though; I would have loved to take control of Aquarius. But her jumping made you jump in to save her. That's when I knew for certain that I picked the right girl. You didn't even hesitate at the edge to make it easier for yourself; you just jumped right in after her. And then she trusted you with what happened with Aquarius...she trusts you, rune mage. She thinks you will help stop me and free her. She is formulating a plan too, but she won't remember it. She's surprisingly intellectual for a busty blonde."

"Selena, leave her alone."

"You can't persuade me now, Bix. She's got all of you guys wrapped around her little finger; I can't pass that up. You all can't harm the girl you have been protecting for years. Who has sacrificed so much for you. Who has been willing to give up herself for you. She's trying to tell me otherwise, but I know you won't do it. You can't harm her, not even Laxus will now, and that's perfect."

"Why don't you just knock her out, Bixlow?" Laxus asks roughly, not liking that Selena singled him out, but finally understanding the reason inside of him. _She apparently flipped a switch in me earlier as I had thought._

"Because she's pretty much on a double deadman switch, Laxus."

"What do you mean?"

"Her magic could fry her brain if not done correctly, and you can do it on purpose. And then she has Lucy's letter opener to her neck." Leo growls from where he's kneeling, not happy with the situation.

"You spoil the fun, you know?"

"I don't care. Leo, if you can't take it, leave. Don't endanger yourself. That would not help her. You may even be forced to hurt her."

"Yes, leave your master in my hands and run away to the spirit world."

"Selena stop it. Quit provoking him."

"But it's fun! When will he open his eyes?" She prods his face.

"Only you thinks this is fun."

"You used to, Bixxy."

"I know better now."

"Yes, yes, you we're saved and I need to be. I've heard it many times, but that's so boring!"

"I'm not leaving these people for you. Not again."

"Who said I was recruiting?"

"Raj."

"Ha! I haven't spoken to him since the last time we were together."

"If you're not in recruitment, why are you here. Last I heard after Phantom was that you were a loner looking for groupies."

"Can't I see an old friend?"

"You could come to the guild like a normal person."

"There's no fun in that! Besides, we haven't met face to face since we met last. Why should I stop?"

"Because you're a human being that shouldn't continuously take control of people and live through them? Maybe you would make normal friends."

"You aren't normal."

"That's kind of my point."

"You're the only other good Seith mage I know, Bixxy."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Laxus interrupts, deadly serious.


	20. Chapter 20

"This whole _fucking_ thing was just because you _missed_ this bastard?!"

"Laxus-"

"Don't interrupt me Bixlow!" He tilts his head to where his ears pick up Lucy's body's position. "You tortured Lucy with nightmares for months; shovelled more guilt and betrayal on her already weakened heart until she couldn't think straight; hell, even drive the poor girl to drink five shots in an hour for courage; set up this whole _fucking_ scenario with the runes and pretty much escalated it to a damned hostage situation just to talk with _one fucking person_ at three in the morning just because you think it's _fun_? Are you _kidding me?_ " Even with his eyes closed Laxus was intimidating with just his aura.

"Laxus-"

"No, Bixlow, I'm not going to shut up because she is insane."

"I am not insane!"

"Laxus-" Freed starts.

"Yeah, you are. You must be a platinum blonde then because this was _incredibly_ stupid. You make the air headed danger queen Blondie look smart in a real life situation, so you're a real piece of work."

"I. Am not. Insane."

"Laxus-"

"Well, you could have fooled me. Tell me, how does this whole thing equate to sanity? Bixlow even said you could have come into the guild! How the hell is this fun for a sane person? Tell me, Ever, are you having fun? Are you Loke, Leo, or whatever the hell you're going by these days? Freed? I'm not even going to ask Juvia because she's got to be insane to be obsessed with Icyidiot-"

"Hey!"

"Do you think Blondie is having fun knowing that you could fry or impale her at any second and she can't do anything about it? Answer me!"

Thunder cracks outside in Juvia's rainstorm and it's turning into almost a typhoon. "I can show you."

"Show me what?"

"Insanity."

"Haven't you already? It took too long to build up to the punch line, _Selena_. Everyone's had enough of this bullshit."

"You better watch it."

"Or what?" The thunder outside seem to play along to his emotions that are tightly bound yet threatening, rumbling ominously. It is the perfect accompaniment to Juvia's rainfall, but there sure will be damage in the town tomorrow for this preemptive storm. "How was this supposed to end? Was he supposed to follow back? Were you just going to sit and talk while we all sit here, panicked, tense, and poised to attack? Were you going to keep a hold of Blondie forever so the talk could last? When would it end? When you got the courage to see him face to face?" Bixlow watches as Selena crouches, shaking her head against her words, the letter opener in a tight grip. "When you wore out? Would you just disappear like you weren't there and clear out? Would you do this again eventually? You're the one who's lucky but 'better watch it'. I don't know what you smell or look like, but if I did, I would need to be restrained after this. I don't take kindly to people hurting my kin, especially to the extent you have."

"I am not in the wrong I am not insane I am okay and you're going to pay."

"Now you're just delusional."

"That's it!" She screeches and before Bixlow knows what she is doing, Selena embeds the letter opener into her stomach twice and takes it out after giving it a twist the second time. Then she draws it down her arm in a deep slash.

She stands like that for a bit before the pain hits and she falls to her hands and knees, coughing some blood into the floor. Bixlow watches as her eyes fade back to a chocolate brown that immediately distort in pain and confusion. "Guys...?"

The hesitant tone snaps them all to life and their eyes open to Lucy fully collapsing onto the floor. "Juvia, go get Wendy! Ever, towels!" Freed yells, rushing towards Lucy while recalling every first aide procedure he has read about.

Juvia gets up and immediately sprints from the room and Ever runs and gets the towels to stop the blood. "She's not going to be here in time," Loke says, inspecting Lucy's wounds before pressing a towel to her wound to put pressure on it. Laxus rips apart a towel as easy as paper and ties it above the gash in her arm as Freed instructs as Freed pushes another one down on her arm.

"I would teleport Blondie to Wendy if I was sure it wouldn't hurt her, but I also don't have my full magic to do that."

"She's loosing a lot of blood."

"Let me take her," Loke says. "They've been kept up to date and have had an emergency team on standby since the deadman switch thing was brought to my attention. The King is on board to save his new 'old friend' and has allowed this."

"Who?"

"Spirits in the celestial world. The best of the best and they can start immediately."

"Do it," Laxus rules.

"But Wendy-"

"Can't enter, remember? Does't she need Blondie's permission to enter?"

Freed lets loose a curse as that's brought to his attention, but can't think of where his sword is to do anything about it as he is trying to save her.

"She needs help NOW, Freed. I can hear her pulse weakening and her breathing isn't right. Blondie isn't going to make it if we wait for Wendy, and necromancy isn't something I think she dabbles in. Take her now, Loke," he says, making an executive decision. Loke lays his hands on her prone form and they disappear in a flash of light to the arms of the spirit's medical team. It's silent for a minute before Laxus speaks again to Freed. "Take down the runes. Or keep the minimum, but make them flexible. I might even check if she can even put runes around an apartment because most apartments put it in the lease that you can't. But take down that damn dampener." Freed goes to find his sword from the other room. "Ever, fly after Juvia and stop her from waking Wendy if you can help it. There shouldn't be any lighting in the sky right now. Tell her what happened and get her home." Evergreen leaves. "Let's clean up and try to get some shut-eye, Bixlow."

"Hey boss?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry about this."

"You didn't do this, so don't apologise. And even if it was your fault, I don't deserve your apologies first. Let's just get this over with and you can tell us about it tomorrow or something." They clean up the blood until Laxus's nose is satisfied, replacing the clean letter opener on the desk. When Freed's done with the runes, they all collapse in the living room as the adrenaline leaves them exhausted, leaving the door unlocked for Evergreen if she comes back.


	21. Chapter 21

Laxus sits at the guild, agitated. "You're going to have to calm down a bit, Laxus."

"I'm fine," he huffs.

"You're visibly tense."

"Aren't you worried?"

"I am, but I also know that if anything happens, we'll know."

"But you don't _look_ worried." Laxus points out. And he doesn't. Freed is sitting in the round booth with his feet up and leaning against Laxus's side, flipping leisurely through a book, his jacket thrown over the back of the booth with his sword attached. What he won't tell the lightning mage is that he hasn't read a single word in twenty minutes as he flips the pages at the same rate.

"She isn't in danger in the spirit world. She's even in favour of the king. But if you won't relax, at least _pretend_ to. Mira has been looking over here every so often and has talked with Evergreen twice. They both look worried. After Mira went behind the bar for a bit, Master peeked over the railing outside of his office."

"It might be because you're laying on me."

"Mira wouldn't be worried with that. In fact, it would be the opposite if my thinking is correct. However, if you don't do something, lightning will join Juvia's rain."

"Why is she making it rain again?"

"When struck by a big enough emotion in a dire situation with an absence of Gray, the sky will open up and cry for the sake of the Rain Woman."

"That almost sounded from a text. Are you reading so much that you're turning into a book?"

"That would be an interesting thing. But it doesn't seem like they know anything of Lucy. I don't think anyone has said anything."

"Flametard looks too happy to know."

"I wonder why he hasn't said anything considering that they were supposed to have dinner together last night."

"I think Icyidiot took him out last night. They've been sticking closer together since we last saw him. Mira almost has heart eyes when she looks at them, but they seem dull. Maybe they came to the guild together this morning."

"Well, Lucy did say that Mira had acknowledged the couple enough to name them, but not enough to make stories like with us. Maybe she is starting those stories?"

"I feel sorry for them then." They sit in silence for a few minutes more before Laxus snatches the book out of Freed's hands, closes it, and throws it on the table with a thud.

"Hey!" Freed sits up quickly and faces him.

"What? It isn't like you were actually reading that thing."

"What are you-?"

"Every two and a half minutes the page would turn, regardless of whether or not the page had pictures or half the amount of words." Laxus starts. "I couldn't see your eyes, but they probably were moving only halfheartedly. That, and you were telling me things that you don't normally pay attention to when you're actually reading, like Mira and Master. And even then, you turned the pages at the same rate. I'm not saying for you to lay out all of your emotions for all to see, but don't keep bottling them."

"I already told you that I _am_ worried; I'm just choosing not to show it."

"Show it some."

"No."

"No?"

"I refuse. I'm going to just wait for word from Loke and move from there. It doesn't matter if you show it or not, it's still there. Whether you pretend to read a book or sit like a statue, it's still the same. So, if you excuse me," he reaches for the book again.

Laxus lifts his arm and pins Freed to his side. "No, I'm not going to excuse you."

"What are you doing?"

"Showing affection."

"Affection."

"Yes. We're pretending to be together, right? I'm showing affection. I am not letting you have that book. That book is a problem."

"A problem?"

"Yes. It is an enabler. It's letting you hide. I have removed it, so just lean on me."

"You're an idiot."

"And you're bolder since mixing up with Blondie." Freed doesn't say anything and turns around under Laxus's arm, allowing himself to get comfortable with the stubborn dragon's arm across his chest. "Don't think I haven't noticed it," Laxus says, leaning his head down to speak in Freed's ear for both show and privacy from the other dragon slayers. "You had started liking Blondie, which is a first I've seen with you. You're worried about her to the point you can't read. If I was your real boyfriend, I'd be jealous, but I'm not, so I'm happy for you. I've got to admit that I've started liking Blondie a bit more, but don't worry, it's more like kin. I think your competition starts when this game is over if my hearing has been correct." Laxus pulls back, but keeps the same low tone. "Hmm. An ex-lord and lady. What a pair." Freed's face gets pink as his words sink in and he looks up in a mild shock to Laxus's smirking face. "I didn't think you would notice it and I was right apparently."

"S-shut up, Laxus."

"Ooh, a stutter from Freed. Wish I got that recorded." With a huff of air, Freed looks away, still embarrassed. They both don't notice the starry eyes of the girls at the bar.


	22. Chapter 22

"Have you guys seen Lucy?" Natsu asks at the bar to the ladies she normally chats with. "I wanted to go on a mission with her and Happy, but she isn't answering her door."

"You actually knocked on her door?" Levy asks, surprised since Lucy was always complaining on how they kept showing up in her apartment.

"Well she got runes on her place and I can't go in without her saying so."

"Runes?"

"Yup. They don't let me go near the window and stop me at the door. But she wasn't answering. Do you know where she is?"

"Well, she hasn't taken a mission, which is strange. Isn't her rent due soon?" Mira asks.

"I believe so." Levy says. "It's almost the end of the month, isn't it? I think that's when she starts getting anxious over rent."

"Now that I think about it, she hasn't been in here for a few days Natsu. Maybe she's sick?"

"I'll take some of your soup to her Mira," Levy says.

"Okay, I'll make some."

"Can I help you take it to her?" He asks.

"Lucy's sick?" Erza asks, joining the conversation. "We should visit her as a team to help her recover! Mira, add some strawberry cake to the order."

Laxus tunes out of the conversation and looks down at Freed, who is reading in the same position he was forced in the other day. This time though, he is actually sort of reading, if only to keep appearances. "Freed, we have a problem."

"What is it now?"

"Team Stupid and Levy want to visit Blondie's place."

"Well it _has_ been four days. They are bound to be worried."

"What should we do?"

"Get Ever to tell them? Give her the okay she has been searching for for the past few days?"

"She has been wanting to?"

"She asks me, but I was following your lead."

"Ill give her the okay then." Laxus remembers them talking about Lucy's rent. "If she doesn't come back and pay her rent, she'll loose her place. Do you think I should pay a month for Blondie?"

"I've already paid it off for the next four months with my extra savings so she can recover without panic," Freed says causally. "Besides, she still had the place after all that time on Tenrou."

"When did you do that?"

"Two days ago. Her land lady is a nice person, but she dressed oddly." Laxus catches Ever's eye and she walks over.

"Yes Laxus?"

"Stop them from going to Blondie's."

"How?"

"Tell them the truth. I thought you would have by now."

"I...okay."

"Ask Juvia to help if you need it," Freed says while turning the page.

"It'll give her something to do aside from make it rain," Laxus says as he takes a drink from his glass. "Surprised it hasn't gotten worse. Also surprised that no one's asked her yet."

"They probably don't want to ask her or point it out," Freed tells him. "It probably won't get better until we hear anything." Evergreen walks away to find Juvia and tell the others about Lucy.

It takes ten minutes and then it seems like no one speaks for an entire minute before people start exploding in surprise. Then they start pressuring the girls for answers they don't know. Laxus looses his patience quickly and sends a bolt of lightning down to hit the floor between the girls and the pressuring pack. "Quit being annoying."

"Laxus! Did you know of this?" Erza asks as she storms over to the table, but then answers herself. "Of course you did, Evergreen was the one who told us, but why didn't you say something sooner?"

He isn't fazed by Erza's anger and Freed just sits still, wondering how this will play out. "What good would that do?"

"She's our team mate!"

"How does that matter, Scarlet? It's not going to fix anything."

"We should have known!" Gray yells.

"And now that you DO know, what are you going to do?"

No one is able to say anything to his logic. Eventually Master speaks from the bartop. "Even if they cannot do anything, it is more of a courtesy to let them know."

"Since when have I been courteous?"

"Then work on that along with your empathy."

"Tch, whatever."

"How long has she been gone? I only caught the last part if this."

"Four days, Master," Freed says.

"That long and you've kept it to yourself?"

"I could have done worse I guess."

Makarov ignores his remark. "Is there an estament on when she will return, Freed?"

"We haven't heard anything since Leo took her away to receive medical care."

"Why did he take her and not just bring her to Wendy? Or Wendy to her?"

"That was Laxus's call."

The guild master shifts his gaze to his grandson. "Same questions."

Laxus heaves a deep sigh. "Because I could hear that her breathing wasn't right and her heart was slowing. If we had waited for Wendy, she would have died right then. Juvia was sent for Wendy as soon as possible and Ever was sent after Juvia when I made the decision to have Loke take her. Besides, with the runes, Wendy wouldn't have been able to enter without Lucy's permission and we weren't going to get that any time soon. Loke said that they were already waiting with what they needed and could start working on her immediately. I could also sense that even if I didn't tell him it was alright, he would have taken her anyway." Laxus shrugs his shoulders. "Why wake up and bother Wendy if the patient was being cared for already and she couldn't do anything anyway? It was either immediate care and a little more sleep for everyone or a little girl showing up after we pronounced her dead in the early hours of the morning." Laxus levels a look with his grandfather. "Which would you choose?"

Makarov grimaces. "You still should have told them."

"That point has already been made. Apparently Ever and the others were under the impression that they needed my permission to tell them about Blondie. Hopefully we won't be in a situation like this again, but if we are for some reason, I'll be sure to let it be known that is is all right." He looks down at Freed. "I may lead this team, but that doesn't mean you have to get my permission for every single thing."

"I thought you had a plan. Sue me."

"Where's Bixlow? Isn't he normally with you guys?" Mira asks from beside Makarov.

"He's at Lucy's apartment," Freed says. "He's sitting there with a communications lacrima to tell us we someone comes back, assuming Loke would go back to where he took her from." Freed reaches into Laxus's coat without looking and pulls out another lacrima. "He's going to call this one which Laxus has explicit control over. As soon as he knows, we'll know."

"That's the only thing I had a plan for."

"Don't forget that I heard you knew about the nightmare thing, so you can take that laissezs-faire attitude and shove it." Laxus doesn't do anything except chuckle. He's gotten used to Freed being so open and kind of bold even in a couple days and hopes he doesn't quite go back when Lucy's back. Talking to Freed isn't quite so stiff and it gets better as time ticks on by the hours. But that doesn't mean that anyone else is used to it. In fact, they didn't notice it until now.

Everyone looks between the two who are casually sitting there as if they've all left. Never had they heard Freed speak as such to Laxus, nor have him take it.

"Will you tell us when she's back then?" Erza asks, not wanting to burst whatever has made Laxus more compliant, but wanting answers nonetheless.

"Sure, Scar, we'll let you know," Laxus says. No one moves. Laxus looks down at Freed. "What's with them?"

Freed looks up from the book he has been skim-reading at the people still standing around. "You're scaring them."

"How am I being scary? I'm not doing anything to them. I didn't even shock anyone earlier."

"I think that's what scaring them." He gets back to his book. "They might think you're possessed or something, but I'm not a mind reader."

"That's unsettling. Get them to stop."

"I rule myself. You do it." Freed flips another page in the mystery novel, trying not to laugh outwardly at the shocked looks he sees in his periphreals. "Just don't shock anyone."

"Why? That would get it back to normal. How about Flametard? He can take a hit."

"No one."

"Fine." He looks back up at the masses and shoots them a look that isn't quite a glare. "Get lost, you're annoying." The people back up and start doing other things.

"Better?"

"I guess that's as good as you'll get," Freed sighs. "Now hush, I'm at a good part."

"Bibliophile."

"And proud of it. Hush."


	23. Chapter 23

"You didn't have to blow up like that," Freed says, following Laxus into his office.

"How many times do I have to say it?!"

"They're just anxious and want their friend back."

"Every two damn minutes they come and ask if we have heard anything-"

"Not _that_ often-"

"And I answer them every time that they'll know when we do! Can't they give it a rest? It had been two days that they've known. Imagine if they knew from the start!"

"They just want their family."

"So do I!" He sits in his chair, regretting getting up. "I have no answer for them!"

"No one does."

Laxus sighs and puts his head in his hands. "Why did we even come to the guild today?"

"Because if word _does_ come, we promised to tell them as soon as possible."

"Why couldn't we switch with Bix?"

"Because he feels that he has some kind of penance to pay and he is doing it by holding vigil at Lucy's until her return."

"He's eating, right?"

"Whenever Ever's there, yes."

"He doesn't _have_ to hold watch. I'm sure Loke would find us anyway."

"That may be so, but every time you try to get him to stop, he has not moved."

Laxus leans back in the chair behind the desk and stares at the ceiling for a while before looking at Freed, standing as prim as ever since the first day they met. "I would have lost it a long time ago had you not been keeping me in place."

"I try."

"How long has it been?"

"This morning was the sixth morning."

"How does everyone really look now?"

"Dim. The light of Fairy Tail has disappeared into a realm most aren't aware of. Any who go on missions go out of necessity and come back in a timely and organised manor without many problems."

"So having Blondie in the throes of unknown death in another world has made the place manageable. Ha. Let's hope the Council doesn't figure that out."

"It appears so," Freed grimances, "though that is a terrible way of putting it." He ignores the remark about the council. "Natsu's team took a mission the day they found out and the damage toll was vastly down when they arrived this morning. They almost made normal in their fashion and it was a complete shock to the Master. He bought them a round of drinks this morning in celebration."

"He should save his money for when they take out a town."

"It was a rarity for them."

"I'm surprised he hasn't disbanded their team for costing so much to the guild."

"It would prove fruitful as I have crunched those numbers before, but he doesn't want to loose their camaraderie."

"You've calculated it before?"

"Yes. Should they have made it through the battle royal we hosted, we would have had to stick to our guns and processed them. I looked at each person and every team and factored the numbers. If possible, original Team Natsu could have stayed provided they met guidelines, but the full of them would not."

"Where would Scarlet and Icyidiot go?"

"Erza was a solo mage before, so that was going to be her route with occasional match ups. Gray would be with Juvia as their magics match up. They've even performed a Unison Raid."

"From what I heard, Blondie used Aquarius and performed one with her too."

"Until they're back together though, that most likely wouldn't happen."

"And you thought of these a while ago?"

"It's sort of a running thing I visit once in a while as a hobby."

"And you've told Gramps?"

"Naturally. He complains about money, so I offered a solution of sorts. He both wanted to listen and was disinterested."

"Practicality versus the whole freedom thing he promotes."

"Precisely."

Laxus takes a deep breath. "Okay, how bad did I mess up downstairs?"

"Not as bad as you think, but you also startled Mira, who usually has such a low tension. Then there's the broken glasses from the table that flipped and the fried Natsu. By the way, that as the first time he had asked since learning anything."

"He's annoying."

"But that was a first offence."

"So? It was the twentieth this afternoon and I snapped."

"It'll blow over quickly."

Laxus sighs again. "Okay, let's head back down. Show the kids that it is good to help clean up if you make a mess."

"Good. I'll get Mira to remake my tea."

"Sorry."

"It's fine, we all have breaking points."

"I should have flipped some other guys' table."

"That's not what I wanted you to take from this conversation."

"So? Let's go."


	24. Chapter 24

"Looks like they learned from yesterday." Laxus says about a half hour after getting home.

"That they have."

"No one's asked all day." He sits down on the couch.

"That they didn't."

"..."

"Please tell me you didn't _really_ want them to ask again. Not after yesterday."

"I know it may have been still related to her, but it was the first thing that brought my mind away from it."

"Dare I say that the form of the logic of a fight you just set forth matches the thought process sometimes present in Natsu?"

"If you value your life you wouldn't."

"Whoops," Freed says apathetically while sitting on the couch next to Laxus with his newest novel. "Too late."

"God, Freed, one day I'm going to end up throttling you."

"You had your chance and you blew it. Again and again and again and again."

"And sometimes you make me regret it."

"Liar. You're lost without me sometimes."

"I don't care. I'll kill you and find a medium for the times you're useful."

"You better off keeping me alive. It's cheaper and doesn't resort to third parties, which I know you don't like. But if you want a medium, look at the ones in Hargeon first. There are a less number of known hoaxes there."

"Idiot."

"While I don't believe in their work, I respect what they do. By the way, you said that Lucy was kin to you, correct?"

"How does that connect?" Laxus asks, lifting his feet to the coffee table.

Freed lays the book in his lap and looks up. "Chain reaction, like curled-hair-hair-band-band-slam-slam-dunk. Now get your feet off the table."

"Uh, okay." He quickly puts his feet on the floor again. "Yes, she's pretty much kin."

"Is that a dragon slayer thing?"

"I think so. It's the word that automatically comes to mind and no one has really mentioned it to me before."

"So what is she to you? You've said that you didn't see her as a mate and Gray had said that the protection almost comes off as jealousy to third parties. How do you know it's one and not the other?"

"I dunno since I haven't connected to a mate yet. But I don't get that sense with her. Sure, I wanted to hide her away and protect her from harm after she told me about everything in that bar, but I didn't feel like I wanted to claim her as mine."

"How does the claiming thing go?"

"I have to bite and draw blood and have them do the same within a certain amount of time. That forms a kind of blood bond for eternity."

"Oh, I hadn't heard about that second part."

"Were you worried? I didn't taste or smell blood on you when covering that fake mark, but did I break skin?"

"No, you didn't, but I was going to warn you off in case the situation rose again."

"Yeah, no, you're totally fine. And it would have to be a bite bite from you, not just a pricking and lick. I can't see you doing that. Anyway, Blondie is a special kind of family, not quite like the connection between Gramps and I or the guild. It's hard to describe, but it is like there's people," he starts layering his hands overtop of each other for every level up, "then the guild, then Gramps, then my team, then kin, then children, then mate."

"Your team is underneath kin?"

"That's why it's hard to describe. Until I felt that connection that day I thought you guys were synonymous. It isn't so much as a level or ranking of what's best, but it is sort of an inbuilt priority chain. Until I have kids or a mate, if I do, Blondie is the highest on the chain."

"How does that go when you become guild master?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. It's all instinct too, so that fucks everything up."

"I'm sure you'll figure that out."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"That's what I'm here for." He then smirks. "Even if I become your kin-in-law in the future."

"Don't even say that Freed. The thought of anyone taking Blondie away right now is making me mad. You might have to prove yourself worthy. If I wasn't a part of this boyfriend scheme you cooked up and I just heard about it later, I'd never let you two be together."

"What about Loke?"

"When he comes back I'm going to beat the hell out of him for leaving us out to hang like this, but they are basically Blondie's kin."

"In that way are they your kin?"

"Not exactly, but I'll want to know them and know how they are and everything."

"How are you going to tell Lucy about this new kin-ship?"

"Nice one. I don't know how she will react...it's not like we knew each other WELL before and she was in some form or another possessed during that time, so she may think it's odd, but she's just going to have to deal with it."

"And if she wants you to leave her alone?"

"Tough luck."


	25. Chapter 25

"Why are you so wound up?"

"Something is weird about today."

"What do you mean?" _It's finally not raining since Juvia left of an errand from Master. The sky looks so blue._

"I mean just that. I feel like I do just before a fight or something."

"But you're not going to be fighting today, right? You got through yesterday with no fights."

"But I didn't feel like this yesterday."

"So should we enter the guild at all?" The two stop by the entrance.

"They want us in there."

"They don't want to be beaten into a pulp or fried."

"True, but they want me in there incase the lacrima goes off."

"I can go in and tell Master that your too wound up to be around people at this point."

"Then what?"

"We can walk off your energy and maybe grab a decent breakfast at the park since you didn't want to sit still earlier for me to make something."

"I didn't feel like sitting in the house anymore."

"I'm sure you'll feel the same way about the guild, so I'll go in and talk to Master, you stay out here and don't move until I come back."

"What am I, five? I don't need you using that mothering tone, Freed. I'm a grown man."

"I know this, but you haven't quit moving even when we stopped. Do I have to put runes up? It shouldn't be more than five minutes and I don't want you wandering off in this state." Freed takes out his sword and points it to the ground, swirling around. He then picks up the purple letters and showcases them. "Or should I have you test this out while I go inside?"

"What is that?" He eyes them warily, having been subjected to his tests before.

"Simple runes that inhibit magic and mobility."

"So, rope."

"Yes."

"You want to tie me up?"

"I want to see how effective this is."

"You want to tie me up outside of the guildhall."

"While I'm inside, yes."

"In public where people can see and walk by."

"Yes. When applied, the rope should become invisible."

"What does that serve?"

"If these work, I could vary them and do whatever comes to mind. If really necessary I could make a human puppet or spring an invisible trap."

"You're not going to make me a puppet, are you?"

"Is that necessary?"

"Hell no, and even if it was, hell no. Just do it and hurry up."

"Okay, okay." _I didn't think he would agree. He'll be vulnerable in public. Something must be going on with him for sure for him to agree to this._ Freed straightens them out and they hold steady at around sixteen inches. He then holds Laxus's wrists out and hits them with the rope and they snap around his wrist snugly. After a few seconds the letters disappear.

"I wasn't expecting that. Self-tie?"

"Pretty much. That's not too tight, is it?"

"No, now hurry up."

"Okay." He manoeuvres Laxus to a light pole and connects one ankle. "Now you can't walk or teleport away. Test the ropes, I'll be out in about five."

Ten minutes later, Freed comes out with extensive apologies, citing Mira as the reason he was later than expected. "It's fine. Just get these off and we can go for a walk."

He takes out his sword and slashes the runes easily and they start walking. "You don't seem as mad as I thought you would be."

"Scarlet was out here and sort of figured it out and was asking questions."

"What kind of questions?"

"Uncomfortable ones. Don't put yourself in a position to be asked. She's...blunt. She only asked a few questions, but I couldn't answer any of them. And then it seemed like something was turning in her mind as she studied me."

"You couldn't answer?"

"I couldn't understand what she was asking! It was weird ad she looked absolutely crazy!"

"She _had_ mentioned that she ran into you outside and then winked for no obvious reason then. Maybe she's talking to Cana now."

"Why Cana?"

"It was another rumour, one I hadn't even been thinking of, I swear."

"I believe you, so what was the rumour?"

"I'd tie you up and have my way with you."

Laxus looks at the shorter man sharply before looking around. That makes Freed smile, seeing him worried about appearances. "But I was in PUBLIC. Why would she think think that about me in _public_?"

"How does any kink work? There's public play, seeing how far you get without being caught and everything."

"That's just...sick."

"People have specific quirks, like that one fan of yours turned stalker that wanted you take off your sound pods so she could see your ears."

"That was weird though."

"People are weird. Are you telling me that you didn't see Erza's Seduction Armour?"

"What the hell. Why use her magic for that?"

"I'm guessing she keeps a lot of outfits away with her magic."

"That's just..."

"It works for her and that's the thing." They arrive at the park, but Laxus doesn't even slow his pace. He doesn't even seem to be thinking about where his feet are going.

"Why are you so knowledgeable about this?"

"I was talking to her once because I was fascinated with how her magic worked and she was proud of her magic."

"I meant the other stuff."

"Oh. Same kind of thing, but I was asking Loke."

"Loke taught you about all of that?"

"Yes. And then I did my own research."

"Why would you research _that_?"

"Well it helped with that one guy who liked us attacking him."

"Is that why you had Ever take him out?"

"Yes."

"It's everywhere then."

"Well, it certainly isn't restrained to a certain area. But most of the time they are separate from your general person. Just because someone is sadistic in their personality, it doesn't mean that they are in bed."

"So Scarlet's not..."

"I never said that, but that might not be the case. However, I doubt that it rules over her in that area. She probably only does it on occasion."

"Ugh, let's drop it."

"Alright. You do realise that that little thing will probably mess with them for a while and that is exactly what we want, right?"

"But I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Are you still okay with testing my experiments?"

"Yes, just not with Erza around."

"They won't be all bad."

"What was your next one?"

"It is similar to the form of the rope, but it hooks around your neck and makes it so you cannot lie."

"We could probably use that when we come out straight if we provide a non-biased demonstration before hooking all of us up."

"And once it makes it past all of the trials, we can use it in the field."

"Maybe you can add a compulsion to it."

"I would only do that after the reveal day or they will run with it. I'm not willing to answer all their questions so thoroughly."

"Good idea."

It's quiet a few more minutes before Freed asks what has been nothing him for the last few minutes. "Why are we headed to Lucy's?"

"What?"

"Are we going to check on Bixlow?"

"I didn't even realise we were headed to Blondie's. We really are?"

"Yes. The road up ahead is where you would turn to get to the same street her apartment's on. Are you sure you didn't realise it?"

"I didn't intend to go there, honestly. We were just walking and we ended up here."

"As if it were...natural." Laxus keeps walking, even as Freed slows with his thoughts. _Maybe..._ "You know what? Let's go to Lucy's and check on Bixlow."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright! Let's get going then." He grabs Freed's hand and sets off at a slightly quicker pace as Freed grins.

 _I might be wrong, but I think his instincts are calling him back here because Lucy might be back soon. He has been so anxious since rising this morning. I just hope I'm not wrong._ They get into Lucy's apartment and meet up with Bixlow, who looks terrible. "I'm going to make you something to eat and you had better eat it," Freed says, pulling up his hair and walking to the kitchen.

"Why? Ever's coming over later."

"You should eat more than once a day, and certainly more than one of Ever's meals." He gets started in the kitchen as Laxus subtly checks out all of the rooms. When he comes back through, Freed can't help but think the man is even more agitated. "Why don't you take a nap, Laxus? Show Bixlow that anyone can take one."

"Quit mothering me," he snaps, but goes and lies on the couch anyway.

Bixlow gets up from his cross-legged position on the living room floor to walk into the kitchen. "What's with him? You two fight?"

"No, he just knows he can't get rid of me, even with all I know."

"I can hear you guys talk you know."

"You don't have to listen."

"Just put up a silence wall you dope; you wanted me to rest." Freed laughs, but casts Silence anyway.

"He's listening to you."

"It is a bit odd, but I help him out. Today though, I think Lucy is going to come back."

"Today?"

"Laxus is severely agitated and is moving on instinct. We only passed by the guild before walking to the park and then here. The closer we got here, the faster he walked. By the end he was pulling me along."

"Why does that mean Lucy is coming back?"

"She's kin, and that's what is moving him around is my guess. I think his instincts are kicking in and he doesn't realise quite what it means yet."

"So you think it is today?"

"I am really hoping that's what this means. I would not like to take his state meaning that something has gone wrong."

"So you brought him here to satisfy your curiosity? That's just wrong, Freed."

"I did not! He was going to come here anyway. I just had thoughts about it is all, Bix, nothing wrong."

"So what will you do if nothing happens today?"

"I honestly don't think he's going to move until something happens, and I'm just hoping it's good. Now, would you like fish or chicken?"

Nothing happens through lunch and Laxus asks Bixlow what he does all day. "Well, mostly I just sit on the floor like I was earlier so I don't disturb things and I mull over everything and search for her soul until Ever comes with food, then after talking with her a bit and catching up on the events of the day, I end up passing out from my constant use of magic to probe the universe for her. Oh, and I chill with my babies. They keep watch for Loke as I search. I'm also looking for a location on Selena, but that hasn't popped up anything yet."

"Well, it's good you're not starving yourself doing nothing, but if you're really working that much, then you must eat more."

"I'm eating fine. Geez, you really _have_ turned into an old mother."

"Told you," Laxus interjects.

"Shut up and rest." Freed says before going back to Bixlow as he reads. "Look, I know that you put it on yourself to stay here and wait for her for us, but that doesn't mean you have to fas-"

"Shut up, Freed!"

"No! Neglecting one's health is not-hmph!"

"Listen to the man!" Laxus says with a hand covering his mouth.

"Mwasahs!" Freed says, glaring at the man who just points to Bislow.

"Lecture him later, pet; I think he's onto something." Freed looks over to Bislow and sees him stock still with his visor on the floor.

His eyes look unseeingly at the empty air as his babies circle the air. He then looks sharply up and says "find". The babies break up to the different areas of the apartment only to head back into the kitchen. Bixlow gets up to follow them, so the other two silently follow him, and they all enter the kitchen just as Loke appears.

"Good heavens!" Loke says, clutching his heart. "How did you know I was coming? Most people can't anticipate such a thing. What were you trying to do, startling me by coming around the corner like that?"

"I've been studying this space for the past week. I'm so in tuned with it that I could feel you coming a while away. So what's the news?"

"A week?" He looks at Bixlow in confusion. "How could it be a week- oh _right_ , the time differences. Sorry about not checking in then, it was a bit hectic. I just got back after getting her stable. She should recover fine. Can't do any world traveling for another hour though."

"She's fine?" Laxus asks, making sure he heard correctly.

"There may be some things different, but she will be pretty much healthy."

"That's good." Laxus then takes a powering up step and then punches the lion spirit right in the face, knocking off his sunglasses as he falls. "That's for leaving us hanging for eight days. Don't do it again."

"If I update you daily, that's about every fifteen minutes in the spirit world, give or take a couple. There wouldn't be much to say."

"All you would have to say is that she is doing fine or responding well and give an approximation of her return really. Just say _something_. Laxus was going mad," Freed tells him as Laxus walks away to update his grandfather on the lacrima.

"I couldn't even step away for the first hou-er, few days I guess, because I was helping with the surgery."

"You're a surgeon?"

"Not the best we have, but I was assisting the surgeon. I should have sent someone alone to update you guys I guess."

"At least now we know. Now," Freed looks at him seriously as Bixlow's babies get his visor as he watches them, "what's going to be different and why is she going to be 'pretty much' healthy?"

"You caught that, huh?"

"Tell me now or so help me you will face Laxus regarding withholding information on his kin."

"His kin?" His eyes go wide like he has seen a ghost.

"Lucy is apparently his kin. Some dragon slayer thing."

Loke pales. "A-about that..."

"What is it?"

"I was going to inform the Master about it because he is pretty much family. You see...well, seeing as it was major surgery and she had lost a lot of blood already, we kind of needed to replenish that blood lost."

"What happened to Cosplayer?" Bixlow asks, getting anxious again.

"Well, we were going to use her spirit's blood to do a transfusion, but..."

"What did you do?" Freed asks, not liking how Loke is looking.

Laxus walks into the room and sees the pale spirit. "What happened?"

"Y-you're her k-kin?" Loke asks.

"Yes. What happened?"

Loke takes a deep breath and rights himself to stare right into Laxus's eyes, letting his position and years of life show in his eyes. "On behalf of the Spirt King, I, Leo the Lion, head of the Zodiacs, must relay this message to Lucy Heartfilia's next of kin in regards to the medical procedure undergone hours ago at the Lion Estate in the Celestial Kingdom. Do you, Laxus Dreyar, formally acknowledge yourself to be in this position and accept to hear this message pertaining to Lucy Heartfilia?"

"Why are you acting like this? It's freaking me out a little."

"Laxus, as kin, you're technically the only family she legally has left," Freed says. "He says he was going to talk to Master about this, but after he found out about the dragon kin thing, the message is now apparently to you."

"Alright, but why is he being so formal?"

"I'm guessing confirming your status as kin in this manor practically makes it legal. It is more than a formality, it's law." Leo's eyes don't move and his face doesn't give anything away as they talk it out and Freed explains things to Laxus.

It takes a few minutes for the seriousness of the situation to hit him, but he stands up straight and faces him, looking him in the eye. "I, Laxus Dreyar, acknowledge myself to be her kin and accept this message." He says, mostly confident.

"Then we may proceed."


	26. Chapter 26

Leo's words seem to activate something and an opaque golden bubble appears around the pair and a couple of golden chairs appear. Leo sits and motions for Laxus to as well. "Where are we?" The bruise that had been forming has disappeared on Leo's face.

"A privacy room. Nothing in or out, including sounds, objects, transmissions, communications, or anything else. Now, regarding Miss Lucy's procedure..."

"She is going to live, correct?"

"Oh, that is not what is private. I was truthful, she is going to survive and likely will for a long time."

"What is the problem then? Why a special meeting?"

"Due to the nature of Miss Lucy's injuries and the extensiveness of the surgery, Miss Lucy lost a lot of blood."

"Alright, you said that she will live though, so what's happened? Why this formal stuff?"

"'This formal stuff' is standard for humans receiving our care. What happened is that Miss Lucy had to be given a blood transfusion while the surgery was happening. We were going to use one of her own spirits for this as we had no other humans on hand and the spirits were all willing to help Miss Lucy in her time of need."

"But..."

"However, through some quick tests, it turned out that we would not have been able to use their blood for the surgery."

"She has a lot of spirits and none of them worked." Laxus says, simplifying it for himself as Freed might have. "Okay, what then?"

"There was only one spirit that tested for a green light for the procedure, and so he donated his blood."

"Only one?"

"Yes."

"It didn't make her immortal and make her become another spirit, right?"

"What?"

"And it didn't bind them in blood unnaturally like mates, right?"

"No! Both of those ideas are ridiculous!"

"Good, now Freed won't be sad. So what did it do?"

"It has been making Miss Lucy heal rather quickly, for one."

"Okay, next?"

"We don't know the full extent of it, but she will take some of the...properties of the spirit. We had thought the blood would just pass through and not really touch her, but it seems to be changing her a bit." Laxus motions him to keep going. "I just got out of a meeting with the Spirit King and it has been decided that this spirit, since it is not contracted, will be furthermore contracted with Miss Lucy."

"So he's now her spirit?"

"That is so. However, he didn't have a key before this, so his is the first of his kind, and most likely will not be joined by any others. It is also likely that his key would be gone whenever Miss Lucy shall pass, or it would be passed through her bloodline."

"Ultra rare spirit, one of a kind key, probably never again outside of family. That sum it up?"

"Simply, yes. Give this key to Miss Lucy when she is back." He pulls a pristine white key with a red symbol of something on the end from his inside jacket pocket. "He is already contracted to whatever times he is needed." He hands Laxus the key.

"What properties did she get from his blood?"

"You may know better than us at this point. The key in your hand is for Draco the Dragon, the first dragon in existence and ancestor to all dragons everywhere: a celestial dragon."

It is silent for two long minutes. "Are you saying that Blondie may have dragon slaying abilities when she is recovered?"

"I'm also saying that she will be able to summon a _dragon_ , Laxus. With no more power than it would take to open the lowest Zodiac Gate. It is an extremely powerful key, and she won't even have to use much magic to use it, thanks to his own eagerness at being to Earth and the king's generous thought of a gift. It is between silver and gold."

"I don't know much about it, but it sounds like Blondie's going to wake up a badass."

"You have to make sure she trains well with Draco as her dragon kin. She will need to learn all what is necessary."

"I sure as hell will. It's a _dragon_. Of course I'm going to be there."

"Keep her safe. We've removed any traces of whatever took her hostage, so she should not be vulnerable to Selena again. All of us here treasure her, so keep our treasure safe, dragon."

"I will."

They stand up from the chairs. "One last thing before we dismiss the room."

"What?"

"Do not tell _anyone_ , even your team, about this conversation until you talk to Miss Lucy about this meeting in private and you get her permission to say anything. Patient confidentiality."

"I won't. I'll just tell them she's safe." He sticks the key in his coat pocket.

"Okay."

"Another thing-"

"Now what?"

"It's been about a day, almost a day and a half since we left."

"Bastard. Let's go." The golden surroundings drop.


	27. Chapter 27

"You're back!" Freed shouts, and then he realises that Loke isn't back with him.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Laxus says. "But I understand how he would lose time if he was working in surgery."

"It's alright. Did you go to the Spirit World? Did you see Lucy?"

"Uh, no. We were just talking about the surgery."

"So what happened with her blood? He was about to tell us before he went all formal," Bixlow asks.

"I...can't tell you."

"You can't? We can't know?"

"No! I just can't tell you until I let Blondie know. Alone. And only if she wants you to know."

"Oh," Freed says, looking deflated. "Okay." He turns away to check on something in the oven unnecessarily.

"Freed," Laxus drags his name out in warning. "Don't start pouting."

"I'm not pouting."

"Idiot, I know you. Bixlow can probably tell you're pouting."

"I am not. I just want to know."

"And I _want_ you to know, Freed. I just can't go back on my word." Freed starts mixing something together in a bowl. "I wish you were there for the whole session. It would have made it more real and I wouldn't be stuck alone in not telling anyone."

"And I couldn't be there?"

"You're not kin."

"You're barely kin. She doesn't even know it."

"But it's true, so quit pouting."

"I told you I am not pouting."

"Really?" Laxus grins when he sees that he's putting together frosting. He leans in close behind Freed, knowing Bixlow is like a spy for those clucking hens, and drops his voice to a softer tone. "Then why don't you give me some welcome home sugar?"

Freed jumps, but doesn't stop what he's doing. "I'm already making a cake. We'll call that good. Welcome back."

"But Fre~ed," he fake whines pitifully and he can tell the green haired man wants to laugh at his antics.

"You really want some?" He turns his head and smiles at him as his fingers dip over the side of the bowl without the other's notice.

"Definitely."

"Oh alright. Just...c-close your eyes," he says, forcing colour to his cheeks like he did at Tenrou as he bites his lip. Laxus does, and Freed smears the frosting over his mouth messily before pushing him away. "Next time drop it, you arrogant idiot," he says, all of the forced shyness gone from his voice and posture. "Now get out of my kitchen."

Bixlow is stifling laughs in the living room when Laxus walks in with light purple frosting smeared on the lower half of his face. "Oh shut up you fool," he says, but any anger is marred by the sight of him licking his lips, which triggers Bixlow to laugh openly. _He could be an actor, that one. With that blush and stutter...I thought he was actually going to do it._ He cleans his face, not wasting the frosting, before going and washing the stickiness off. _If she is healing at a quicker rate, she would be back sooner rather than later. We should replace the supplies we have used here. And those towels that we ruined._ "Oh, by the way Bixlow, I was told I could tell you that she is safe. They got rid of any hold Selena had and she won't be able to find a foothold again."

"She won't?"

"Selena isn't going to be a problem with Blondie anymore."

"That's...good. I'm glad that she's safe. But I still want to make sure Selena does not approach again."

"Understood. I just wanted you to know she is safe from now on and she is healing."

"Thanks for that."

"Now, where's her keys? I'll keep them until she's back so they won't get lost in her house."

"I put them on her desk when I got bored on the second day and dusted the place."

Laxus gets up and retrieves her keys, placing the white one on the ring between the two colours before tucking them in their little pouch and tucking it in his coat. Then he pulls them back out a studies the little markings, an idea in his head. Finding the one he thinks is Loke's, he holds it up like a microphone. "Don't know if this works for whose who aren't Blondie, Lion, but you better get the hell back here: you're telling the guild as payment." As a final note, he sends a spark of electricity into the key, making sure it isn't touching the others.

A miffed lion spirit immediately shows up. "It normally would not work, but you're her next of kin and she is out of commission without them. Just please, never _ever_ send electricity through there again. It is like a telepathic link in some ways."

"So I got the right key. I'm glad. I wouldn't want to harm an innocent. She has a dog on here, right? That would be cruel."

"You wanted me to tell the guild?"

"I don't know if these two had or not, but you're making an appearance whether you want to or not." He tucks the key into his coat pocket. "Let's go." He holds out a hand for Loke.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not wasting time. We're teleporting there by lightning."

"You know, I can get there on my own-"

"Shut up and come here," he grabs the spirit and pulls him close. "Hang on. I'd hate to lose you." That wouldn't happen, but it scares Loke a bit. In a flash they are flying as lightning to the one point of the guild that's always open for his mode of transportation.

Loke let's go of Laxus and falls to his hands and knees. "Oh god, that's terrible," he nearly pukes as his mind swirls.

"It gets better."

"You can't convince me of that."

"Freed's almost fine now. A tad dizzy, maybe, but his recovery is good."

"Ugh."

"I thought I heard you!" Mira says. "Aww, Loke, I know it's tough. I have a helpful drink to settle your nerves and you'll feel better in a jif to tell us everything."

"Thank you, Mira." They go from the back room and walk into chaos.

"Laxus is back! And he brought Loke!" The barmaid yells and everyone cheers. "Give them time to settle before killing them with questions," she says, putting a purple drink in front of Loke. "Drink it quickly. It tastes terrible, but works fast."

"Thanks." Loke chugs the drink, nearly gagging on it. A couple minutes later he rights his sunglasses and tames his staticky mane before sitting upright. "Lucy is recovering just fine." He sits like he is on a panel instead of a bar.

"When's Luce coming back?" Natsu asks over the other who started buzzing and they quiet down for the answer.

"In a couple more days she will be well enough to travel over. I wouldn't let her go on missions for a while, maybe a couple months. She is healing sooner than we thought she would, but that could be because it is a place soaked with power matching her magic energy." _Less if she keeps healing at this rate. She may even be conscious when I bring her back._ "She's generally stubborn like the rest of you lot, so help her out when she gets back."

"Of course we'll help her. We all love Lucy," Mira says happily.

"Good, because now is the time to show it."

"Give us a heads up and there probably be a welcome home party waiting for her."

"No, a party like normal would not be good to come back to. A small, calm welcome back gathering at her house would be better."

"Okay. I'll get things on standby and we'll gather into groups to visit."

"I guess that would be the best compromise. Just remember, calm is key. We just fixed her up, so don't break her so soon." Loke laughs naturally. "Anymore questions?" With everyone in a good mood from the announcement, there are no more questions and Loke dismisses himself.

"Thank you for having him come here. He must be so busy taking care of her, but we're glad to see him," Mira says, giving Laxus his usual drink before he can ask.

"You're welcome."


	28. Chapter 28

"She's awake," Loke says when he appears two days after that in Lucy's living room.

"That's cool."

"So is she coming home today?" Freed asks, overriding Laxus's casual air with the question they both want to know.

"No, but she'll be home in the morning. She's going to be on bed rest though, at least for a couple weeks. No matter if her healing was quite well, back on earth her healing rate should slow down. Remember though that it has been only hours since the incident for her."

"Right, that's hard to remember."

Loke walks over to Lucy's desk, grabs a pen and paper and starts writing. "Don't tell Mira she's back until tomorrow afternoon. I want her reacquainted with her place before a ton of people go through here. I want to approve her group choices too: you can't be too careful. I'll leave a schedule for her foods for Freed since he can cook. Erza will likely bring cake, but she won't be able to eat it, so either disperse it or put it in the fridge. First it is liquids for a few days, and slowly we will work up to solid food for her stomach. I'll also be checking in regularly to approve activities. Laxus knows how to contact me directly if there is questions." He hands the list to Freed before maintaining eye contact with Laxus over Freed's shoulder. "No magic until I rule it, understood?"

"Okay, okay. I'll keep Blondie in check. I have her keys. She can't do anything without them, right?" Loke just stares at him with one eyebrow propped up. _For a slayer dealing with light itself, you would think he would be brighter._ "I will not let her use any magic whatsoever in any form it may take. Is that _formal_ enough?" _Oh, so he did get that._

"Yes. Good. Now, I'm going to take a nap here since I've been up for what seems like a lifetime."

"You're napping here?"

"Yes. I can get almost eight hours of sleep in about five minutes."

"Doesn't it drain your magic, being here?"

"I've been here for three years before, so it's pretty much nothing, but I could sleep for fifteen hours and it'll just be ten minutes and it would even out I guess. I haven't rested much recently. It's got to be over twenty four hours in either time. Resting here is like a cheat."

"A fifteen hour nap?"

"Why question that, Freed? He _is_ a cat." Bixlow laughs and Laxus just sighs at his joke.

"Go take your nap already. Maybe I can take one too." Laxus lays back into the corner of the couch and pulls Freed with him.

"Hey, I don't need to nap. Let go of me."

"Maybe not, but I do, so stay still," he says, smirking and closing his eyes as his arms don't move.

"But I need to look up how to care for a-"

"Do it later."

Loke chuckles as he heads to Lucy's room and curls up on the foot of her bed after changing into something more comfortable to sleep in than a suit. He passes out in just a few minutes after the noises out in the living room die down. -She's going to come back an be surrounded by loved ones. That's good.-

Loke sleeps until the next morning without anyone waking him up. Everyone had thought he had left until Evergreen came back from looking around and said he was after snapping a picture of the sleeping lion spirit. When Freed gets breakfast done, he brings a plate to him and finds him just waking up. "That was probably the longest sleep I've had in a while." He stretches away the sleepy feeling and Freed keeps himself from smiling at how much of a feline he portrayed. _How we didn't notice something was off, I don't know, but looking back, it is sort of clear he isn't human. Granted, he did try to keep it from us._

"I'm glad you're rested. I made some food. Everyone else has probably finished by now."

"Wow, breakfast in bed. Haven't had that in a while." He yawns and takes the plate.

"It's a good perk to working hard. Nice pajamas."

"I know, right?" He starts eating as Freed walks around with a dust cloth.

"I can't help but think that Lucy would be mad about you sleeping shirtless in her bed." His sleep pants are made to look as if someone painted the night sky, but their cat stepped in paint of different colours and walked around on their work.

"Maybe, but I didn't sleep under the covers at least."

"That doesn't matter. I had planned to wash the bedding anyway before she got back. Why else do you think that you're getting to eat on it?"

"You are the thoughtful one. Alright. I'll help out before going to get her, make sure things are fine and everything. It'll give time for the bedding to be done."

"I have spare bedding prepared from her linen closet already. I'm just polishing up the place."

"Do you still keep your room this clean and organised?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't be; I have runes to keep people out for a reason." _Huh. Another clue that should have pointed me to that conclusion. I hadn't had the need to rewrite the runes to let him in when we were intimate. 'People and Bixlow's babies', right? I'll have to reset those._ "All I would need to do is upkeep the room. It's simple and let's me focus on the house that never gets picked up." Loke smiles, thinking of Bixlow. "It's never bad to keep order."

"Never said it was."

"There's coffee in the kitchen if you want it."

"Really?" He stands up with his nearly finished plate. "I'll wash these up and get some."

"Just get dressed: Ever's still out there."

"It's not like she hasn't seen me like this before. She came in last night."

"She said you were asleep."

"A guy can pretend. I woke up when she opened the door, then gasp, and I presume she snapped a photo too."

"Just put a shirt on."

"I don't have one that matches these, so I'll pass. Thanks though," he says while walking out the door as Freed just shakes his head.


	29. Chapter 29

It is around eleven that Freed and Loke have everything done and Loke declares that he would be back with Lucy. He vanishes and comes back carrying her sleeping form in a princess hold with Virgo following with an I.V. bag set-up. Everyone is immediately silent as the spirits tuck her in, but she stirs anyway. "Loke? What's going on? Where's Plue?" She tries getting up.

"Shh, everything's fine. We're just back home now, so Plue is back in celestial realm."

"I'm home?" She tries getting up again. "Ow."

"See? We need to be careful, don't we? You can't get yourself hurt now." Loke sits on the edge of the bed as Virgo stands stoically beside him.

"What happened again? It's all fuzzy."

"You got stabbed by a lady named Selena, remember? I told you about it when you woke up earlier."

"But I don't remember it."

"What do you remember? I can try to fill in the gaps."

"You and Freed were talking and so I decided to take Laxus and make a meal for everyone. Where are they?"

"Right here," Freed says and Virgo moves back to let the two be seen.

"Oh. Did you finish your talk with Loke?"

"Yes, Lucy."

"What else do you remember?"

"I took Laxus to the bar on the way to get Evergreen and Bixlow and told him about Aquarius over drinks. But I didn't tell him that...well I didn't tell you either, did I? That was Capricorn, wasn't it? I asked him to keep it to himself, so never mind."

Laxus leans over to Freed. "Does she know she's speaking out loud?"

"Perhaps not."

"Is this about Aquarius's magic?" Loke asks.

Her eyes get big. "How did you know about that?"

"We'll get to that later."

"Well it was. I was going to play...no...that's not the right word. I was going to train with Juvia when I felt like talking about it. Sorry about not telling you," she says with her bottom lip poking out.

"Is Cosplayer on some kind of medication?" Bixlow asks Freed quietly.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Princess is conscious to herself and will probably remember this conversation later, but a side effect of the celestial medication is apparently that she has no wall between brain and mouth and her emotions are more...potent," Virgo says quietly from where she wandered behind the group, making them startle slightly.

"Really? I'm glad that the guild wasn't here then."

"She is going to have to stay on this medicine until she is better though since we can't mix it with earthy medicine and we won't let her be into much pain in order to switch."

"We'll delay the guild as best we can then," Freed says.

"So what happened after the bar?" She looks up at the ceiling. "I walked in Laxus's footsteps like a duck to his house, but it was tough to walk. He had the food though, so I walked in his footsteps, but he's huge! His steps are so big I feel like Levy sometimes. Oh! Don't tell her that. That would seem mean. I'm not mean. I like Levy. She's pretty awesome but I'm scared to let her read my novel."

"Lucy dear, you've sidetracked."

"But Levy-"

"What happened when you were with Laxus?"

"I had to focus."

"Focus?"

"On walking. He takes big steps."

"Yes. Where did you go?"

"To his house, silly. I've already said that. I just had to walk there because he was carrying the groceries so nicely since I drank his too. Loke! I drank five of them!" She holds out her hand with her fingers splayed.

"What?"

"Laxus counted five drinks."

"How long were you two there?"

"I dunno, an hour?"

"You let her have that much liquor in an hour? What kind of kin are you?" Freed hisses under his breath to Laxus.

"What? She stole my drink and ordered another round. Mine was a double. And it was sort of this time that I felt that tug. But that does explain the quacking."

"What do you mean?"

"She was walking close behind me with her head down and I was afraid to stop because she would run into me. Every once in a while when it was quiet she would go 'quack quack' quietly and then giggle. I didn't wan't to ask though."

"But when we got to his house, I felt so sleepy when the door opened and I must have fallen asleep. I can't remember anything specific after that."

"Did you dream?"

"A bit."

"What about?"

"It was nothing."

"Come on Lucy, tell me."

"No, I don't want to. It won-didn't happen."

"Did you dream that you were endangering us?"

"How did you-? Did I-?!"

"You didn't. But someone else used magic to use you to try."

"Like a conductor stick?"

"No, not like Hughes. Seith magic. A lady named Selena."

"Selena. And she stabbed me when I was in her control? She tried to get you guys?" Lucy looks to the others in the room in worry.

"Yes."

Lucy sits there staring at him and then years start forming in her eyes and falling down her cheeks. "Am I going to hurt you guys again?"

"Wha- No! No, you aren't going to do it again."

"You didn't even do it the first time, Blondie."

"I don't want to hurt you guys!" She starts sobbing and covers her face with her right arm.

"What the hell?" Laxus walks forward and pulls Loke and sits where he was. "Blondie, look at me." He pulls her arm down and leans over her a bit. "Open your eyes and listen up because I hate repeating myself. Are you listening Blondie?"

"Laxus, maybe you should-"

"Not now Freed. Blondie, answer me: do you trust your family?"

"Yes," she answers, still crying.

"Do you believe in them?"

"Yes."

"They are strong, right?"

"They are. V-very strong."

"How many times have we bounced back?"

"Many t-ti-times." Her crying calms down somewhat since she is speaking.

"Who is your family?"

"Fairy Tail."

"And?"

"M-my spirits."

"Do they trust you?"

"I t-think so." Her eyes flit away from his towards the rest as they nod.

"What happened during your first fight at the GMG with that red haired gal, what's-her-name?"

"Flare? I lost."

"What did she do that made you lose?"

"Threatened Asuka."

"You threw the match to save her."

"I did."

"Because she's family, right?"

"Yes."

"Why did you stand up to Gajeel?"

"You heard about that?"

"Yes I did Blondie. So why?"

"Everyone was fighting for me."

"Who are you to them?"

"Family."

"How'd you help Flametard?"

"Sagittarius did."

"Why did you call him?"

"To help Natsu."

"So you trusted the spirit you hadn't contracted with to save your family?"

"Yes. When I got his key, he became family, contracted or not."

"Do you trust that your family can take care of one another in times of duress?"

"Yes."

"Will we lie to you?"

"No."

"If we tell you you're safe, you believe us?"

"I do."

"How about if we say _we're_ safe?"

"Yes."

"With that logic, can you believe it when we say they we are safe from, and with, you?"

"Yes."

"Then trust me when I say you are perfectly fine. You are not responsible for what happened. The only one at fault is that Selena chick. They fixed you up in the spirt world and she will _not_ be able to use you again. You can rest with ease and come back from this stronger. Just take it easy and don't cry; your family is helping you."

"Okay, Laxus. Thank you."

"You're welcome Blondie. You can come to me anytime. We're kin." He leans forward and kisses her forehead. He sits back and let's go of her arm.

"He's not joking Lucy," Loke says.

"Why would I joke about it? I'm sure my team would let her talk to them too."

"Yes, Laxus," the three of them say in unison.

"Well, that too, but I meant the kin thing. He wasn't joking by that."

"Again, why would I joke around about that, you stupid lion?"

"I think what Leo means is the dragon connection of yours that the Spirit King recognises, master Laxus," Virgo says. She looks to Lucy. "Princess, in pretty much all legal manner, this man is as good as your blood related family. His dragon-instinct claimed you as kin."

"Huh?"

"You're confusing Blondie now."

"So he's pretty much my big brother?"

"Yes Princess. Shall I call him Prince?"

"If you dare-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," she seems to say offhandedly. Laxus glares at the purple-pink haired maid and the stoically sticks her tongue out at him. "Brother," Lucy tests out the word. "My brother, Laxus." The words sends sparks of pleasure off in his chest. "I've never had a brother. Or been a sister." She smiles. "Brother Laxus. And you know what?"

"What's that?"

"You're blond. We match like family too!"

"I guess so."

"Does that mean that the Master-"

"No, it does not. But he sees all of the guild as his children and grandchildren. Nothing has or will change there. It's the dragon thing that makes us kin though."

"Whatever." She smiles. "I have a big brother now. Dad may have shied away because of the whole magic thing like he did with me, but mom would have liked to know you."

"Uh..." He doesn't know what to say.

"You can still meet Aquarius though!" She grabs his arm and her eyes shine brightly into his. "We'll have to get you to meet her. She's kind of like my aunt. Mom and her got along well. She generally doesn't like people and your magic would clash, her being water and you lightning and all, but you're not much of a people person either! You have to meet all my spirits as soon as possible!" Her eyes shine brightly, and while his reflex action after years is to shoot her down, but something pulls in him and he ends up nodding, unable to refuse her.

"But you can't use your magic until you're better," Loke says, wanting to make sure she knows.

"But Loke, he needs to meet them! He's my brother and-"

"Lucy, dear, it's not going to happen right now."

"It's fine!" She looks around the best she can. "Where's my keys?"

"Lucy, I'm telling you to wait until you're well enough and able-"

"Loke, give me my keys. Right now."

"Too bad. Orders won't work on me if I don't have them."

"Where are they?!" Panic floods her eyes instantly and Laxus almost moves to take them out to make her happy and calm again.

"They are safe, Lucy, trust me," Loke says. "I know where they are, I just don't have them. You will get them when you are recovered, so you have to rest good and well."

"But my keys-"

"Are safe," Laxus says. "They are in a box only my team can open because of Freed's runes. Nothing can damage them and they won't get lost. Until you're better, rest."

"Okay," she pouts. "I'll rest."

"Good." Loke says. "Soon enough the guild will come and see you and you know how rowdy they are, so sleep now."

"I'm not tired."

"Yes, you are." Laxus argues. "Your body is aching for rest, but you're fighting it, I can tell. You have been fighting it for a while, so go ahead and sleep. We're watching over you."

"Just don't watch me sleep. That's a bit creepy."

"Just sleep, Blondie."

"You're," she yawns and her eyes close. "You're blond too, brother."

"Get some sleep, duckling."

"I'm...people." She's suddenly out.


	30. Chapter 30

It is silent as they just look at her, but then Bixlow ruins it by snickering. "'Duckling'?"

"Shut up, Bixlow."

"I'm sorry, but duckling? Are you getting soft?"

"Bix."

"What? You said it."

"Do I have to erase your memory?" Laxus threatens, but they know he wouldn't go that far: just burn him a bit.

"Well, since I never made a box," Freed speaks up, "where are her keys?"

"Right here," he takes the pouch out of his inside coat pocket and puts them back.

"Did you want me to make a box?"

"No."

"I saw you almost gave them to her Laxus," Loke points out.

"You snapped me out of it though. Is that what the bond is like? Suddenly I didn't want to do anything that would hurt her in any way."

They just look at him in awe, never thinking he would say such a thing. "Just don't give her the keys until she is ready. Until I clear her. You could have Erza store them in a requip pocket if you need."

"I'm her...her brother; I'll take care of them."

"So no box?"

"No, Freed, no box."

"Just no magic, Prince," Virgo says with the smallest of smiles.

"She may have went with it, but I won't find it endearing, so knock it off."

"But you're Princess's brother, therefore you are Prince."

"That shocked me," Evergreen says. "When did she become kin?"

"About two weeks to five hours ago."

"Is that why you nearly blew with Selena? It wasn't just because you were woken up?"

"You thought that was it? Idiots. I thought you told them Freed."

"It was _your_ dragon news. I had assumed that if you wanted to share it, you would. And it isn't like it wouldn't come out already. If she only just knows and she is this attached to the whole brother idea, then the guild will know right away, soon after the other dragons get it." They can all see that Laxus doesn't like the thought of the others pressing in. "But she may be even more excited about it and tell them herself." His expression softens just a bit, but it is enough for them all to see. _If Lucy is going to soften the big guy up, then we're going to have to make sure she's alright and that no one can use her against him._

"Does this mean Cosplayer is going to be a part of the team?"

"Uh."

"Of course she should be," Ever exclaims, shocked by Bixlow. "There aren't too many siblings in Fairy Tail, and they're teamed up. Even if they have only been kin for such a short time, she can certainly be on the team. Maybe even more so since they haven't been kin long." Freed nods along with Evergreen.

"You know, I hadn't thought about it," he says honestly, not wanting Ever to talk for him.

"Why wouldn't you want her on the team? Why wouldn't she?" Evergreen asks quickly, suddenly upset.

"I said I hadn't thought about it, not that I wouldn't want it. I don't know what she would say."

"Of course she would say yes!"

"It would be fine if she doesn't." Ever pins him with a glare and he explains his thought. "She already has a team that had been formed for years. In fact, I'd say that even though Flametard's name is at the forefront, she was the one that brought them together as a group."

"But-"

"And as her brother, I would naturally have the instinct to protect her, which is all said and good and I would never think to not, but she's at the point where she might not enjoy being protected all of the time." He looks to Loke. "Didn't she leave her old home because of a lack of independence and individuality?"

"Even if she felt a little stifled by you, I don't think she would leave."

"That's not quite it, Ever."

"Prince is saying that his dragon instinct may detract from the jobs and Princess may become sad or even mad that he is spending the time looking after her too much. Especially if it comes between work."

"Oh. That makes sense. Thanks."

"You're welcome, Miss Evergreen."

"I still think we should extend the offer to her though."

"I never said you couldn't try, but respect her decision either way."

"Of course!" She says, looking amazed that he thought she wouldn't.

"And don't pressure her to join, if you even ask openly."

"Fine."

Laxus keeps looking at her, expecting it to have been harder to handle, but then addresses Loke instead. "How long will she be on the meds? I don't want her to have to deal with the guild until she is better situated in her mind. Especially the She-Devil."

"It will be a while since she will be healing a bit slower than over there. But maybe not, because of the-" he cuts himself off and glances to the rest of the Thunder Legion. "I'll talk to you about it later."

"What's going on?" Evergreen asks, not liking being out of something.

"It is something that has no business with you at the moment, so leave it alone."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Loke. It involves Lucy, which involves Laxus, who involves us. Tell me what is going on."

"This is a legal issue, Evergreen."

"Ha! Legal? Why should I believe that?"

"Does this have to do with when you and Loke got zapped away a few days ago?"

"I'm guessing so. He's usually a loudmouth," Laxus says.

"What? Zapped away?"

"You didn't tell her?"

"I had no details; what were we supposed to say?"

"You could at least tell her I was gone. It _was_ a whole day you guys. You know how she is."

"Hey!"

"Yes, and that is why we didn't tell her."

"She would have pestered us for more information until we died," Bixlow explains their logic.

"What happened?!" Ever asks, exasperated and confused.

"Loke had to talk to me about private, kin-only stuff relating treatment. I can't tell you."

"Like what?"

"I. Can't. Tell. You."

"You wouldn't hide things from the team."

"Legally, he can't. He can't even physically tell you. Until the conditions that were set are met, he will not be able to tell you in any sort of way, writing, speaking, telepathy, or gesturing, though if he was able to gesture that, I would be surprised. He can only speak to me and the rest of her spirits privately about it until all conditions are met."

"I didn't know that."

"It's another standard procedure, so I thought nothing of it, I'm sorry."

"What if he was talking to you?"

"If you were in hearing range, he would not be able to say it. It has a constant check on hearing for all who are near, Dragon Slayers included, telepathy safe so no Warren."

"How does that work?"

"If I told you, you could reverse it and that can't happen, so I'm not going to tell you."

"It's that simple? Why does it work so well?"

"Until it is cracked, why fix it? Besides, he hasn't even tried."

"How do you know?"

"He would be out for my head! When you try go against it, it gets...embarrassing. And if you broke it, it would have serious repercussions."

"Embarrassing how?" Laxus eyes Bixlow at asking Loke with almost stars in his eyes.

"It's personalised to each one separately. When I tried..." Loke shudders at the memory. "Two hundred celestial years and I still can't say what happened out loud."

"I can. Big brother had to-"

"If you finish that Virgo, you are never getting punished again." Her jaw snaps shut audibly and it is like she never spoken.

"I wonder what it would do for Laxus," Bixlow smirks devilishly.

"If Loke is even embarrassed, I ain't uttering a peep. I won't even try. Forget about your plans, Bixlow, or you'll end up like Flametard. Now let's get things ready for Lucy when she wakes. Freed, go get some groceries if we're going to stay close. Evergreen, go get some stuff for us to stay a week or two in shifts or something. Bixlow...just leave. I got to talk to these two, so start a drinking game with Cana or something."


	31. Chapter 31

"So...her dragon parts are healing her?"

"So they _are_ away."

"I can hear that they are far enough away. I don't wish for embarrassment."

"Yes, Princess's dragon blood and changing insides are healing her quicker."

"So if she is healing fine and quicker, when will she be off the meds?"

The spirits share a glance. "We don't know," Loke says.

"Can't you guess?"

"Princess will probably be fully healed and as healthy as she was before the stabbing in about two weeks at the rate she is going. We don't know when she will be off of the medicine."

"Wouldn't it be in the two weeks? Less because she wouldn't be in as much pain?"

"There is a problem with that, Prince."

"And?"

"We are trying to find something for her to eat."

"Eat? Freed can make her something. She'll eating a lot like the rest of us do though, right?"

"That is not what Virgo meant."

"What?"

"Well, for dragon slayers it can be different, yeah? To sustain or power up. Gajeel eats iron, Natsu fire, Wendy sky/air, you feed off storms and electricity, but what about Lucy after this?"

"Oh." Laxus looks down at Lucy who is still sleeping with his hand.

"Yes. For now, the celestial medicine is both fixing her and sustaining that need."

"That makes sense. But why are you having trouble?"

"What?"

"Can't you just speak to that dragon spirit of yours? He is going to be teaching her, right? He should know what she would have to eat."

"Yes, but he hasn't had a slayer since we all roamed free, thousands of years ago."

"He forgot?"

"He was the first dragon. It is more like, he ate anything? But that 'anything' has become so diverse that it is hard to track down."

"Then what about the stars?" Laxus says simply.

"The stars?"

"You lot are represented by constellations here, so why not feed off of the stars?"

"He has a point, brother."

"Are you telling me that it is so simple as the freaking stars in the sky?! We have been searching for answers and here it was the bloody stars?" Loke collapses onto the floor and Virgo pats his back.

"Isn't the sun technically a star?"

Loke nearly melts onto the floor. "He's broken now. I shall go confirm with Crux. See you shortly, Prince." She disappears and Laxus shakes his head.

"As smart as you lot are, you really didn't think about it? But how would she go about eating the sun? Will that cause us a problem?"

"It is no different than Wendy sucking up some of the sky really. We were idiots for not seeing it. The sun too..." Loke seems to shrink into the carpet and Virgo comes back, saying that it was perfectly fine and that Crux had already had the information, but no one had thought to ask him, which makes Loke feel guilty, being a leader of sorts to the spirits.

"Who's Crux?"

"He's an information gathering spirit of Lucy's that she calls Grandpa Crux."

"So he only gathers information? Why were you floundering about then for if he is at your disposal?" It's slightly annoyed on Laxus's part, but it strikes a fatal blow at Loke's pride.

"I know, it was stupid of me to forget. I'll have to apologise to him properly."

"Get him here so _he_ can tell me what is happening," Laxus orders. Loke winces and looks to Lucy's form beside him before using his own magic to pull Crux through. "Tell me what is happening to Blondie. Everything you know."

"I was expecting this, so I came prepared, Laxus Dreyar, Lightning Dragon Slayer, Captain of the Thunder Legion, Kin of Miss Lucy Heartfilia, fellow member of Fairy Tail, heir to the Guild as one of the Ten Wizard Saints' Grandson."

 _Damn, that's a long title._ "Lauxus is fine."

"As you wish. I have been informed that you know what happened during the procedure. The blood of Draco is changing her as she heals. When she is healed, she will be half a slayer."

"Half?"

"The other half is when she gains control of what is happening inside of her as, and after, she trains with Draco."

"Does that mean that we can stop her from being a slayer?"

"Becoming a slayer is inevitable in Miss Lucy's sake, as with yours. You cannot have your lacrima removed without your death, and it is her very body adapting to heal that is making her undergo this change. She may not have had a choice, but she will have the guidance you, regrettably, did not."

"And the sun and stars will do it?"

"Yes."

"How often?"

"At least once per week, but most likely more due to it's availability."

"Is there anything you can predict about the changes?"

"Dragon instincts will follow as normal. Your kinship will be dual sided and, therefore, complete."

"Complete?"

"There is no point in following that up. She will grow immensely stronger as she will still wield celestial keys along with her power."

"How will that work out?" Loke asks.

"The energy coming off of Miss Lucy's spirits, such as yourself, from calling one out will be absorbed back into her, and therefore will sustain the spirits again. Theoretically, once it is mastered she could call out her spirits indefinitely and have as many out as she wants."

"So Lucy could call out all of us?"

"Once mastered, yes. After that happens, she wouldn't even have to eat from the stars much."

"So Blondie could easily be one of the best in Fairy Tail after this?"

"She would certainly pass those tests you set up all those years ago without a second thought," Crux says, breaking from his usual monotonous and uncaring façade for only a moment, setting Laxus up with a squinting glare. "She could give your Guildarts a run for his money." His glare simmers down dramatically as he floats there. "She won't though, as her personality has a strong probability of being unchanged. I'll leave the rest to Leo." He dismisses himself and it is quiet a moment.

"That was fun," Laxus notes.

"We all would bet on Princess, no matter who she is against."

"He seemed to have something against me."

"Crux is just partial to Lucy, as we all are. She treats him like a Grandfather she never had, which is a first for him. We all love her. She has got to be one of the better ones we have come across. He likes to help her, especially after she saved me and her show to the Spirit King. And the other business when we all went dark and the Spirit King was, well...yeah. But she is clever as well. She's also stubborn too."

"And fun to tease," Virgo says from the corner.

"I wouldn't know anything about the celestial stuff, but I'll agree with you there. Was he serious about her power though?"

"I believe so. He doesn't tell lies. Privacy laws may stop him from saying things, but he doesn't lie."

"So she will be able to take me in a fight?"

"Certainly. She'll raise through the ranks quickly in the guild. It takes a lot of power just to summon one of us, but she can already do two to three. More if it's varied. However, will she _think_ she can take you? I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. Her self esteem on that front isn't the greatest."

"I'll make sure she knows she is strong. Anything else pressing? They're walking back."

"So close?"

"Not enough to be worried about hearing distances, but it will be soon."

"Not really. We know her diet now for later, her rate of healing may be faster under the sun, know her power- ah!" Loke claps as his back straightens and his eyes light up.

"What?"

"Attacks! They'll be run of the mill Dragon Slayer stuff, but she may be able to absorb other natural elementals since Draco is the ancestor to all of the dragons. She won't be able to use it and it may affect her, especially if they have force, but she will fare better."

Laxus looks to Virgo for a possible better explanation and she tries. "He is saying, Prince, if Natsu attacks her with fire, the impact may affect her, but the fire would almost be absorbed and dispersed. It is like she would be channelling the magic through her as a conductor and be sending it right back into the Earth or something."

"So if it were my lightning, she would essentially be a lightning rod? She gets no benefits of the magic, but she would hardly get the negatives?"

"It is good that Princess is not a dark wizard, or you guys would be toast."

"If she was a dark wizard, she wouldn't have most of the keys she does and would not have been in the situation she is to be receiving this power, even unintentionally. It is her care towards you spirits and her personality from those feelings that lead to why she is still alive after that attack. You wouldn't normally do that for humans."

"Well, as we said, we love Lucy. She's a rare one."

"Thanks, by the way. And pass that onto her mermaid friend. I'll help Blondie's self esteem and try to reunite them. My team and I will start the search for the key when it is back."

"You would do that?"

"We're kin," he answers simply.


	32. Chapter 32

It isn't long after that that Freed returns with Evergreen in tow, toting a few overnight things and enough food to fill their arms. "You _can_ return to the market later, you know," Laxus chuckles at Evergreen's discomfort.

"I figured to give you enough time to talk to Loke reasonably and ran into Evergreen. They had good deals today too." He unloads his arms onto the counters of her kitchen and looks around for places to put everything.

"They always do when you're at the market."

"You're right. I guess I'm lucky then. Her shelves are going to be really full."

"Good. That will be needed."

"Of course, right, the whole bottomless pit stomachs of dragon slayers," he muses as he eyes the free spaces before noticing the top shelves are bare. Laxus looks at him sideways and Loke as Loke is looking at him with slightly wide eyes.

"Dragon slayer stomachs?" Loke asks cautiously.

"I'm assuming that Laxus won't want to leave her side, and he eats a lot. And whenever she is up for visitors, there is Wendy, Gajeel, and Natsu. I haven't watched Wendy pack away good like the others, but I'm guessing she eats that way sometime." He pauses and looks to Laxus with a box of pasta in his hand. "But I guess that doesn't mean we're hosting meals. A simple spread of snacks may have been better." Laxus relaxes, not having noticed he was on edge with Freed's remark.

Laxus walks to Freed and puts the box down. "You don't have to provide anything to them. It isn't even your house or guests. She is going to be on the loopy meds for two weeks and I am not having Mira over with her that vulnerable to her tongue." Sensing Ever behind them, he steps forward and wraps him in a half hug for a show. "Calm down. Read a book after you're done putting things away. Hell, read to Blondie. Don't think too much. But yes, I don't plan to leave here for a while, but a lot of the time she will be asleep."

"So you're just going to sit around?"

"No, I'll need you to grab work from Gramps that he leaves on my desk. I'll work on it here."

"Then I'll need to make sure you're not neglecting your health while you're at it."

"I'm not that bad."

"I'm not going to mother you, but do skip meals to work. A lot."

"Well, that isn't affecting anyone aside from me."

"If you aren't at your best, then what about Lucy?"

"I'm going to come by often to check on Lucy with Virgo and the others." Loke says and Laxus notices Freed jump the slightest bit. "We'll be monitoring her closely. Laxus won't be the only one caring for her. She has a whole team in the wings."

"Then it is settled. I'll tell Mira in less than two weeks so she can break apart the groups."

"Then isn't Lucy going to be fully healed?"

"Yes."

"Weren't we going to let them in before and tell them to be gentle? They've been waiting for such a long time already. I'm sure their patience is going to be pushed."

"I'm not having them parade through here with a loopy Blondie."

"Then why don't we just bring her to the guild when she is healed?"

"Excellent. No party planing or anything. You won't be fretting over fettuccine or fruit buffets."

"How did you-"

"I know you. And we won't have to clean up. The longer Blondie sleeps, the faster she'll heal, right?" He asks Loke.

"I think so."

"Okay. Put her to sleep. She'll be healed quicker. Her bed's by the window with the sun, right? Let's push up her get well rate."

"I don't think it works that way, Laxus," Freed laughs a little, thinking he is joking.

"Sure it does. Loke?"

"It could work...but I doubt that she would like the thought of putting her in a coma for a week."

"It isn't like it is seven years, and hopefully she will be all better by then."

Freed pushes away from him and looks at him in surprise. "Laxus, that seems a little unethical, don't you think?"

"Only a little, but she'll wake up fine, so why not? Loke, you think you can get things ready?"

"Yes. We'll have one of us by her side constantly to monitor to make sure, whether it be myself or any of the others who would like to. You might want to let Juvia in on this though or the clouds might come back when she returns from her mission."

"I'll get on it. She always takes a communications lacrima since that one time she got lost and Gajeel had to track her down. Maybe we can let in Wendy."

"It may be risky-"

"What isn't?"

"You guys aren't serious about this, are you?"

Laxus pulls away from Freed and looks him straight in the eye. "I'm dead serious. If this works, it will be pretty awesome."

"You can't really think that will work."

"Maybe not for most, but Blondie's a special case." A tingling sensation suddenly overcomes his lips and he shuts his mouth in reaction, instantly looking at Loke.

"You hit the wall then," he affirms. "I was wondering when that would happen. Wasn't too sure what the spell covered entirely. Best not say another word on the subject if you wish to avoid utter embarrassment."

"'Special case' was the tip of the iceberg? What is going on with Lucy?"

"I can't say. I won't."

"Loke can though, right?"

"That would defeat the purpose of the whole contract-message thing." Loke says from by Evergreen. "Anyway, are you certain about putting her in a medically induced coma for a week? It's doable and could plausibly work in her case."

"Do it. It would be good if she is better faster, right?"

"Okay, we'll be on it. I'll inform the spirits and the king on her new treatment plan and get it going. Remember, no words until conditions are met, and with this, it will be at least a week."

"I can deal with it. Just start the plan." With that, Loke disappears with a smile. "Alright. Food needs to be put away. Ever, tell Mira that Blondie comes back in a week at least and to relax the guild. Freed, when you get my paperwork, fill Gramps in on the situation so he will let you take the work with you. Swear him to secrecy and make sure he does nothing suspicious, like try to visit; we don't need a swarm of people. We keep this minimal. Ever, while you're at the guild, tell Bixlow about the plan, but make sure no one hears: we don't need the blabber-mouthed dragon slayers screwing this up. You both good?" They nod their heads, still dazed and hoping he is joking. "Well move it. We have a long and slow week ahead of us."


	33. Chapter 33

"Mira is going to be the death of us."

"If it keeps her from coming over to decorate, run her party errands." Laxus has his feet up and is working on paperwork as Freed is in the armchair with a book in his lap, having just settled down and having gotten off a lacrima call with Mira regarding the party stuff she is planning.

"She is so demanding though."

"I don't know how else we can restrain her. She would kill us if she found out that Lucy is really here."

"That would be your fault, so I'll let you take the fall."

"It would be an all out massacre, Freed. We only have two days it seems, and the plan is working better than we had planned."

"You don't need to remind me; I'm shocked already. But how is she not getting sunburnt? You haven't moved her from the window and those mirrors Capricorn brought with Horologium are reflecting the sun right on her. She should be redder than one of Erza's strawberries, but she still looks the same as always. Plue is sitting under a little umbrella as he is next to her."

"I can't tell you."

"Connected to the whole 'special case' 'secret procedure', I know. I just don't like this and nor does any of the others."

"They haven't said anything."

"Of course they wouldn't. It's them and you're you."

"I'm not some untouchable leader, Freed. You guys can talk to me."

"Well that's good, cause I'm worried about Cosplayer," Bixlow says, walking into the room, immediately gaining Laxus's full attention.

"Why?"

"Not just because she was stabbed, but something is off with her soul. It had been changing a bit over the last few days."

"What's happened to it? Has she been taken over?"

"No, it isn't like that." He takes off his visor and trains his eyes on her, taking a more serious stance. "I've seen people in comas before, but it isn't quite the same."

"What do you see?" Freed asks, looking between Lucy and Bixlow.

"Generally, her soul has stayed the same, but..." He trails off while trying to find exactly how he would describe it.

"'But' what?" Laxus says, tense.

"It isn't just brighter than normal, there is something with it. It is sort of hard to explain."

"Try your damn best," he growls.

"I am," he says, glancing to his captain. "It is hard to describe it, but I don't think it is entirely bad. I just don't know what it is. It just isn't controlling. It-" he stops talking as he takes in Laxus's soul. "Is it a kin thing?"

"Huh?"

"A part of what is different is the same as yours. I don't have to inspect you often-"

"Don't _inspect_ me at all-"

"I can tell where you are though, not totally unlike your instinctual senses. It helps on missions. But there is something like a yellow-blue edge on both of yours, but it is so small it is hardly noticeable."

"Is that it? Just a kin bond?" Freed asks, feeling sort of out of this.

"No," Bixlow looks back to Lucy. "Cosplayer has something else too. Her soul is a tough and bright one as always, but something is under it I can't quite get a handle on, but it looks like it wants to come up. I wish I could touch it."

"Touch it?"

"Not literally. But all I see are colours right now. I don't get much else. If I could have stayed in that town longer, I may have learned the last little bit he was going to teach me."

"And that is touching souls?"

"Yeah, but I left and learned how to take."

"I'll have to see if I can find any books on Seith magic then. I'm sure there is some."

"Really?"

"As long as you understand your magic, it should be fine."

"What do I look like otherwise?" Laxus asks.

"Well, there's you at the core, and then your magic radiated from it as well as swirling around you, and if I focus on it, it looks like a sharp and jagged yellow, which makes sense for your lightning. And then emotion is a ring around that which presents itself in different colours and mixes. Then the blueish-yellow thing that probably is represented as the kin bond is the very edge."

"Do you look at everyone like that?" Freed wonders.

"Yes. It is natural when I first meet someone, and for finding people. I know the people at the guild fairly well because of it. But I can't gauge someone on how strong they are. I can only guess at their magic because some things are common between other users that use the same."

"Oh? What's that?" Freed looks like he is about to start taking notes on what Bixlow is saying.

"Take Romeo and Natsu for example: they both use fire. Their magic layer has a flame-like texture. But Romeo's colour doesn't stay still, which I am guessing is his different flame colours, while Natsu's is more of a red-orange. Ever since he ate the lightning Laxus sent him, there has been occasional yellow streaks, blue from the ether nano, and then there's black too. But those are only the briefest flickers every so often and not like Romeo's."

"How else are they different?"

"Natsu's a dragon slayer, Romeo is not."

"You can see that?"

"Yeah, on Laxus too. There's a thin band around his core that I have to look really close at and I can see small scales that are white and yellow. I'm guessing what whatever dragon your magic came from, those were it's scales. Natsu has the same, but red and pink, Gajeel's is black and grey, and Wendy has blue and white. Those twins we met from Sabertooth had just black and white, but the white one shimmered a bit."

"Wow. You know, you never really talk about it this much."

"People think that I take the souls I see, so I don't talk about it much. Guess I stayed in that habit."

"That's too bad."

"I suppose."

"What else about Blondie do you notice?"

"Other than it looks like something is trying to come through? It's a normal coma person soul. There's nil to no emotional response, her magic is at rest, her core is a plain flat white."

"White?"

"There's not really any darkness in her and she is forcibly inactive due to celestial drugs. Normally she is kind of a pearly white that shines. Wendy is like a white cloud. Mira is fairly white, although not as white, but there is a black-grey streak that runs through it haphazardly, like a tear in a paper. The innocents pretty much stay that white. The colours for cores range only from white to black in different patterns and textures."

"So she isn't how she was?"

"No, and I'm not sure if it is just because of the celestial drugs or whatever, but it looks funny. It has been bugging me for the past few days."

"I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what you're even seeing. But I don't think you have to worry about anything if what I'm thinking is right."

"What are you thinking then?"

"I don't think I'm allowed to tell you, right Plue?" Laxus looks at the little dog that has been watching all of them and he nods affirmatively.

"So whatever the hell happened with her procedure is changing her _soul_ and you are okay with that?"

"Yes, because I know what is happening. I just never thought that this would do something like this, but I'm not overtly worried."

"How can you not be worried? Souls are the very basic thing that shows how we are!"

"And I'm glad you're passionate, but when you know the things I do, you wouldn't freak. In fact, this is a good learning opportunity."

"'Learning opportunity' my foot. This is bullshit and I need a drink." He leaves for the guild and Freed is still sitting there, looking at Laxus who sighs, but tries to get back to work anyway.

"Laxus...Bixlow understands you really can't say anything about it."

"No, he doesn't. Ever doesn't either, and I know you are literally at your wit's end."

"Can you blame us?" Freed finally asks. "You haven't really kept anything important from us. Ever. Of course this would mess with us! We aren't secretive towards one another! We have been sitting around for _days_."

"I'm not _trying_ to be secretive, Freed. You don't understand."

Freed leans back into his chair and manoeuvres his hand randomly through the air. "You have this sort of spell thing going on that binds you in secrecy, I know-"

"Do you? I would rather tell you and have you research what is going on, but I can't and I'm stuck relying on people I hardly know at all for something that is irreversible and now turns out to be changing her soul too." A tingling sensation starts in his throat and Plue hops up and waves his arms around, unseen to Laxus. "She is my only and fairly recent kin and as soon as I realised that, she was stabbed by a lunatic, whisked away to the celestial plane to be operated on by beings I don't know, to be exp-mph!" Loke had popped out into the air and launched onto Laxus's back to cover his mouth with both hands while Virgo appears to wrap them together with a whip quickly so Laxus doesn't immediately throw him off. There is a burning sensation in his throat.

Laxus instinctually sends electricity out of his skin, but Loke just grits his teeth and holds on. "You a-aren't going to w-w-want this. Tomorrow." The electricity pulls back drastically and he can talk again. "Tomorrow afternoon she will be fine enough to come out of it since Wendy helped those two afternoons. She will be coherent after that and you guys can talk it out. I'm sure after that it will be fine." Loke loosens his hands when the tension eases in his shoulders.

"Mira made plans for all of us, remember?"

"She's just going to have to deal with it delayed. You need to talk to Lucy first. She is going to be healed and feeling weird and you have got to talk with her before having a social gathering. I will talk to Mira myself and use Master as a back-up. We will get this sorted before you kill someone or embarrass yourself beyond repair."

"Why is the punishment embarrassment anyway?" Freed asks hesitantly.

"Because some people like Laxus can take a lot of pain, so the King thought this strategy would be more effective. And, embarrassment is harder to get over."

"You can let go now. I'm not going to say anything."

"Good." Virgo retracts the whip and vanishes as Loke plops to the floor. "I had Plue watch over you too, thinking you might crack soon."

"I did not crack."

"Oh please, you were so close."

"So he can't tell us until he talks to her?"

"Until she says that he can after him telling her everything, but pretty much, yeah."

"So why put her in a coma, you dunce?"

"I'm not telling her all this when she is goofy and weird with no filter. I'm glad it wasn't the other two weeks. I'm going to have her in her right mind and able to really digest what happened. You saw her flip out the first day."

"You calmed her down then."

"I didn't have a clue what I was doing then, but I'm glad it worked. Now I'm trying to figure out how to tell her everything myself."

"Well, you'll have all night here with her," Loke announces. "I'll delay Mira until the following day. Freed and the rest of us will make sure that the guild stays away in case they want to come over. You will be free of your portion of vows and it will be up to her. I have a hard time thinking that she will want to keep it to herself. For long, anyway. She'll be shy until she figures it out. Just encourage her. Try using her name too. After all, you're blond too," he winks.

"Don't you have a She-Devil to delay?"

"Yup! Come on, Freed!" He pulls the green haired mage along to the guild with a grin.


	34. Chapter 34

"Okay, meds are out. She should wake up in about an hour, feeling refreshed. After that, it will take about two hours for the meds to leave her enough not to have any affects, so we will be gone then so you can talk."

"She likes the dog. Could he stay then?"

"I'm certain it will be fine. When you talk to her you can also give her her keys back. She's back up in power levels and isn't in in fear of dropping drastically, and her injuries have pretty much healed up."

"Will do."

"Laxus?"

"What, Freed?"

"Relax. You already know she likes that you're kin and they said she will remember that conversation. It will turn out fine."

"Of course it will be."

"You'll be able to talk about it around four o'clock. Depending on her processing, it could either be a short or long and drawn out conversation, but I know she is adaptable."

"Aren't you going to be here Loke?"

"No, Plue's presence at that time should be sufficient for her to know that we know and support her through this. It may be a serious conversation, but we should make it as easy as possible for her to transition. We all weren't entirely on the best of terms when she was stable and not drugged. I have faith it will turn out for the best though; she is, after all, a proud member of Fairy Tail."

Forty minutes later, she surprises them by waking up earlier than expected. "Brother," she smiles as she yawns.

"Hey Blondie."

"How're you feeling Lucy?" Loke asks, quickly she checking her vitals and finding them healthy.

"Good. Mm." She sits up and stretches. "Did I sleep so long that a day went by? It seems like the sun went backwards."

"You've been out for a week," Loke gently tells her.

"I must have been really tired from moving. Wasn't I tired last time I went to the celestial plane? And recovering too, it is no wonder I slept so long." _That went smoothly._

"You aren't upset with missing a week?" Freed asks.

"Well, it's not seven years, so it should be fine." The rest of the Thunder Legion shakes their head, wondering how they both came up with the same justification.

Loke pushes on. "The celestial medicine is leaving your system. We didn't think you would wake up as quick as you did. Either we thought you had more in you, or you're burning it off sooner than we had imagined. You're all healed though, so you should feel fine."

"I'm healed up?"

"Sleep, sun, and Wendy works wonders for you. Now, I've got to meet up with the rest of the spirits to tell them you woke up fine." Loke turns to Laxus. "It should be about three thirty, sooner if she drinks plenty of water and eats something."

"Understood."

"What should be?"

"A surprise." Laxus says as Loke disappears. "Now relax and I'm sure Freed will make something for you to eat."

"Anything you want," Freed says, willing to work on anything.

"Hm, really?"

"Of course."

"Then the chicken you made while I was showering that one time. That tasted good."

"Okay, I'll get right on it and get you water in the meantime."

"Thank you, Freed."

"It is no problem."

Lunch goes fine with everyone there and Lucy is animated, eating and talking with Plue sitting on her lap while eating a lollipop that Loke got him before leaving. Finally she asks where everyone else is. "They are at the guild."

"Why?"

"Because Laxus has something to tell you."

She looks up to him beside her. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you until we're alone, and I wanted to tell you before you met them."

"Then tell me. I mean, it's just your team here-wait, is it one of those celestial contracts?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Those are a pain."

"You've been in one?"

"I've even seen the aftermath if you ignore the warnings that come up. It wasn't pretty, so let's get it off of you."

"First we have to make sure that the weird medicine is out of your system so you're not at all...loopy."

"I don't _feel_ loopy," she says, looking down at her arms.

"How do we test it?" Freed asks and Loke comes back.

"Hey, Lucy, we're making you an outfit. Would you mind telling me your three sizes?" He says, leaning close.

"No, you overgrown perverted cat, go away before I hit you. Plue is saving you from a kick."

"There, she's off the meds. If she wasn't, she would have told me. Toodles!" He leaves, but is probably waiting on the wings.

It's silent for around five seconds before Bixlow speaks up. "I can see why you didn't want her around Mira." Everyone except Laxus shudders at the thought. Soon enough everything is cleaned up and she is left alone with Laxus as they sit in the living room.

"Alright, lay it out. What's happened? I can feel something is off around here."

"Blunt it is?"

"It is kind of what I like best about you, so spill."

"Okay. You're a dragon slayer now." He feels something loosen inside of him.

It is silent for a full minute as she stares at him. Finally she gives up telepathic comunication. "Now would be the time to explain."

"We'll start with these." He pulls out her keys and her eyes lighten up as she reaches for them, but he doesn't let her grab them. "Loke gave them to me to give them back when you're able, and I'll give them back when I'm done. Now, with the procedure, you needed blood and you got a spirit's blood. That spirit saved your life with it."

"I'll have to thank them."

"Me too, so I'll be here when you call them out for the first time."

"First time? They weren't my spirit to start?"

"Apparently only he was able, but I'm not too versed in medical procedures or testing. Anyway, he didn't have a key, so the king or whatever gave him one."

"The only one I know that doesn't have a key would be Dr- oh. That would explain it. Draco gave me his blood, didn't he?"

"Thank goodness you can be smart, Blondie."

"I resent that remark. Is that all?"

"I just told you that you're a dragon slayer and you got the thing with no key and you say it like it is nothing."

"How else am I supposed to take it. It isn't like I can go back in time, nor would I want to."

"So you're cool with this?"

"Yeah. Can I have my keys now?"

"Impatient little brat," she smiles as he tosses it over. She hums as she holds each key one at a time and he realises that she must be saying her thanks with each of them.

Lucy gets to the white key last and looks over at Laxus. "Ready for this?"

"In here? Wouldn't he be too big?"

"He should be able to adjust his size to fit comfortably, sort of like Virgo. Besides, I want to start as soon as possible. Oh! You can tell your team, but I want to surprise the rest." Laxus feels like chains have been released inside of him. "Feel better? They get uncomfortable after a while. Was that all the conditions?"

"I believe so."

"Good. Let's call him." She sands and raises her white key. "Open, Gate of the Dragon: Draco!"


	35. Chapter 35

There is a puff of smoke that dissipates, but what is left is a dragon about ten times the size of Plue. It is a beautiful navy colour with flecks of gold and white with a snow white belly. It's eyes shine a yellow gold as it looks at the two of them. He didn't know what to expect, but Laxus was surprised at how slim it was, even with it's wings folded back. "Hello!" Lucy says brightly.

"Good afternoon, Princess." The dragon's mouth only opens to show her a form of a smile as the words are spoken right into their heads. The voice is deep, unhurried, and welcoming.

"Please, it's just Lucy."

"Noted. I'll be in your care, Lucy. I'm Draco."

"What times are you available?"

"Whenever. My contract is open whatever time you need. I'll be helping with your...new abilities. I see you've got kin already." His gaze looks over Laxus. "Lightning. Looks strong. Smells of...Electrise?"

"Electrise?"

"The Stormbringer Dragon. She was killed many years ago with her mate, but you smell of her. Why?"

"My old man put a lacrima of her power in me when I was little. I never knew her."

"Of course, you're too young. It's nice to know she lives on somehow. I hope you use her power well."

"Yes, sir."

"No need to be so formal. I may be the equivalent to your great ancestor, but relax. What's your name?"

"Laxus Dreyar."

"Nice to meet you, Laxus." He looks back at Lucy. "May I sit on the couch?"

"Can you fit?"

"Yes."

"Sure, make yourself at home." She sits back onto a chair as they watch the dragon shrink a bit and lay across the couch, laying it's chin over the armrest. "So how big and small can you get?"

"My normal size is huge. I can't recall the last time I used it, nor my human form-"

"Human form?!"

"Yes. It takes effort, but I can transform to look like one of you. My powers then manifest to seem like a dragon slayer's, so it is a good way to blend in. My dragon form can get as small so I can rest on your shoulder comfortably."

"That's incredible."

"I can show you them if you would like."

"My apartment isn't that big."

Draco laughs. "I meant the smaller form and the human one, Lucy. I can talk normally in the human one and it would be easier to teach later in it."

"Oh! Okay. Go ahead. Want to go to the guild in your human form too?" Laxus looks at her like she has lost her mind, but Draco agrees.

"I haven't been on Earthland in ages. Smaller one first then." They watch him shrink down and fly over to Lucy and land next to Plue, under half of Plue's size now. Plue pats the dragon on it's head. "Alright. I might need clothes for the second one though. I almost forgot about that," his voice is the same, which is funny sounding while looking at the small little dragon.

"Oh! What size are you?"

"Human sized."

"Well yes, but what size?"

"Oh! I'm an adult."

"That doesn't help any."

"Why not?"

"Adults are still different sizes, Draco."

"That's what belts are for, right?"

"Well, yes, but I have to know your approximate size to get you something to wear easier."

"A robe's a robe, they don't come in a lot of sizes."

"A robe?"

"Yes. To go over a tunic and everything?"

"Oh! People don't really wear things like that anymore. We wear pants and other clothes, like this," she motions to herself and Laxus.

"You're kidding me. I thought you were in your lounge wear. You really go outside in this stuff?"

"Yes I do."

"But it's so...short. And form fitting."

"It's my clothes and I think they are fine. Now we have to find clothes for you. You want to fit in, right?"

"I can't stand in front of you without clothes on, and I have no default clothes left: they all were moth eaten."

"Then I'll turn away and Laxus will size you up and get you clothes."

"Okay then, turn away." She does as she's told and he transforms in the middle of the room.

"You look about Freed's build I guess. Probably uptight like he is too." He mutters to himself. "I'll snatch a few of his things real quick." There is a crack of thunder as Laxus disappears.

"I haven't seen that trick in a long time."

"The teleportation?"

"Yes. Since before I stayed in the celestial world. It was pretty convenient that I even tried it a few times. I can teach you that too once I get back into the swing of it."

"I'll be willing to learn whatever you have to teach me, Draco."

Laxus comes back then. "Alright, I got a few things he won't miss."

"These are nice shoes. He won't miss these?"

"He likes his white leather boots. I'm sure these old shoes haven't been worn in a while."

"They don't look ever worn."

"He's had them a while. I don't even think they fit his feet. Your feet are a little bigger, so they might work. Just get dressed. You still smell kind of like a dragon, but only slayers should sense it I guess."

"Alright, thank you."

It is silent a few minutes while he dresses, taking cues from how Laxus looks. "Shirt's a bit tight, but we'll fix that on the way. What will you do with your hair?"

"Braid it back, why?"

"Nothing. We set?"

"I believe."

"Okay Blondie, you can turn around now." She does and looks him over.

Laxus was right on his build, he was sort of like Freed. He is a bit tanner than him and kept his bright gold eyes, which look oddly charming with his skin. His hair he is currently braiding is midnight black to the middle of his shoulder blades and he fixes it together with a few inches of dark blue ribbon with stars on it. He smiles at her with white teeth and bows at his waist. "Hello, Lucy."

"If you don't want us to be formal with you, don't with us."

"But I'm not being formal. This is a common greeting, is it not?"

"Not nowadays, but you'll see that at the guild. You'll learn to blend soon enough. Just...try not to learn too many of their habits."

"Is there something wrong with the ones you call family?"

"I love them all to death, but yes. In fact, maybe you should learn manners from Freed."

"The gentleman whose clothes I'm borrowing?"

"Yes. He'll be there. He normally is in a red coat with long green hair."

"Green? What sort of fellow has green hair?"

"Anyone nowadays with the help of hair dye, but some people's unnatural hair colours are their own. Just don't say anything about it."

"Okay. Anything else I need to avoid doing aside from bowing and gawking?"

"I dunno. Laxus?"

"Normally it would be rude to flat out ask what kind of magic another use, but these people might anyway. You might want to refrain from saying you are literally a dragon. Pretend to be a dragon slayer if you feel like you should answer them. Don't feel like it is necessary to. Apparently Blondie wants to do this without being scrutinised by her peers. The Thunder Legion will know later, but until she is far enough along, she wants it to be a surprise for the others."

"Okay. You'll have to point out this Legion of yours, but I won't say anything of the like otherwise."

"Good!" She chirps and starts leading them out of the door to go to the guild.

"You do realise that Mira had planned for a party for you tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, but isn't the thing of the month to mess with Mira? That's the whole reason you and Freed are together, same as Gray and Natsu."

"Freed is the man I borrow the clothes from, right? Does that make Laxus a homosexual?"

"No," Laxus corrects. "We are only pretending to mess with Mira's head. That ends eventually."

"What has this Mira done that has you conspiring against her?"

"Mirajane's a devil in disguise. Looks sweet, but can be a poison," Lucy warns. "You have to be careful. She is the centre of the rumour mill."

"Okay. I'll tell her the least then."

"That doesn't matter. It is like she can hear the entire guild sometimes. She talks with everyone to go and do this, which works well because she is the barmaid and server."

"If she works so well to get this out of them, why would you want this 'Thunder Legion' told?"

"Because it's my team," Laxus says, brining the faux human's attention to him. "They follow my instruction on matters like this, no matter what. If I say don't tell anyone, they won't. But we may have to tell Gramps, Blondie. We have to keep a record of power for the members."

"You mean I can't surprise him?"

"It will be a surprise anyway."

"Please? I had a plan."

"Really? You have only known about this for maybe an hour." She pouts her lips and he sighs. "What was your plan?"

"Well, when you think I'm ready, I want to challenge Natsu, and when I win, I'll tell them. But only _after_ because I know that they like to bet on everything."

"You want to wipe out the guild?"

"Would that not be fun?"

"It would be hilarious if it worked out right. Fine. I won't tell Gramps. But you have to tell him about the Aquarius mark and magic. Juvia has already seen that, so you can't hide it anymore."

"Okay!"

"You bare the mark of Aquarius?"

"Yes. She gave it to me when I...broke her key." She pulls the collar of her shirt down to show him briefly before covering it again.

"So you're THAT Lucy. I'm honoured to be your dragon," he bows deeply again in respect. "You have been the talk of all of the spirit world since you saved our Loke and challenged the king and then saved us all from destruction. You and your descendants will make excellent dragon slayers."

"My descendants?" Her eyes go wide.

"My key will stay with your bloodline. Your children could potentially be as strong as I am going to make you. Should you not have kids or the line ends, I go back."

"What?"

"I thought you knew." They pause a block from the guild. "I'm the first and only white key, specially designed for you by the spirit king for his old friend. For as long as you and your bloodline are alive, I can be on Earthland."

"Wow. That's..."

"Amazingly generous of the king. You must have made an impression on him."

"Nah, 'Stache Face is just a softie."

"A _big_ impression then."

"Let's get to the guild for dinner, okay?" Laxus says, leading them on.

"I can't wait to see Mira's face!"

They get to the guild and it goes silent for one whole second before cheers go up and everyone is crowding around. It doesn't get too hectic as the celebration starts because Team Natsu would not be back until the following morning. She reassures everyone that she is fine now and that she is up for food. She introduces Draco around and Mira even asks him if he wants to join the guild.


	36. Chapter 36

"Join?"

"You use magic, right?"

"Well yes-"

"So why not join a magic guild?"

"Are you recruiting Mira?" The master hops onto the table and looks up at Draco.

"I think he would be an excellent member, Master."

"You don't say. Well, you've had excellent judgement so far," he looks at the dark haired man with the funny eyes. "You can be a part of our family."

Draco looks to Lucy for an answer, but only receives a shrug. She hadn't thought about them wanting to recruit him, but it was his decision. "Okay, I'll join Lucy's guild," he says with a smile for her. Mira smiles at the exchange and asks where he wants his stamps and what colour it will be. "'Where'? Where is a guild mark normally stamped?"

"Anywhere you want it. It is proof of membership and you may have to show it occasionally, like when you go out on missions." Lucy holds hers up and Bixlow sticks out his tongue.

"Does it come in white?"

"In any colour you wish."

"Oh. Then white like your hair and right here, pointed upwards." He touches his left side about where his ribs are.

"Alright. Will you lift up your shirt?"

"What?"

"Draco, she needs to stamp you. It doesn't take long." He bites back his reply and changes his mind.

"Then black and right here," he unbuttons his shirt to let her put it on the right ride of his upper chest. After that, he quickly buttons up again.

"So what kind of magic do you use?"

"Romeo, you know it is bad manners to suddenly ask like that," Evergreen asks, even though she is curious too. _Who is this man, coming here so suddenly with Lucy?_

"Oh yeah."

"It's no problem, really. How about we trade information?"

"Okay! I'm Romeo, a multi-coloured fire wizard." He lets a ball of purple fire dance on his hand as a demonstration.

"Draco, dragon slayer." He holds out his hand and a mass of dark blue and gold magic swirls around on his hand as he smiles, showing off his canines.

"Woah! That looks so cool!"

"Want to touch it?"

"Can I?"

"Depends. Put a layer of your fire on one hand just in case." Everyone watches as Draco makes his swirling mass sphere shaped as he draws the blue out of it. Romeo follows his instructions, cupping his hands together as the dragon lowers the ball of golden energy onto his awaiting hands. The ball feeds off of the purple and becomes a ball of purple and gold energy.

"This is so cool! It's warm." The golden light is shining on everyone's faces.

"It should be. It is feeding on your fire to stay in your hands."

"You have good control over your magic, child," the Master says, watching Romeo move the ball around.

Draco laughs at being called a child. "I should, considering how long I've had to work with it. This is pretty much a parlour trick in my book."

"Successfully uniting two powers without harm or destruction in a boy's hands that don't know how yours works is a parlour trick? How is the rest of your magic?"

"Your grandson has an idea."

"Laxus?" They look at the other two who are studying Romeo with the others. Lucy is laughing as Laxus is only looking on with slight interest.

"Where did you meet him?"

"Through Lucy, but that is all I can say right here and now," Laxus says.

"I noticed you came in with them," Makarov says to Draco.

"That I did."

"They trust you, so we will too. Welcome to the family."

"Thank you for having me."

"Hey Draco," a tall guy calls and he is brought back into the group. "What kind of magic is this?"

"Dragon Slayer."

"Yes, but what kind?"

"Kind?"

"Yeah, like Natsu is the Fire Dragon Slayer, Wendy is the Sky Dragon Slayer, and I am the Iron Dragon Slayer. Which are you?"

"Fire...Atlas Flame?"

"No, Igneel," Lucy says, surprised.

"Oh, that old ball of fire. Sky...that was Feriana, right?"

"Grandeeny," Wendy corrects softly.

"The sister then. Iron then could only be Metalicana."

"You're right. Who was yours? Why do you smell different?"

"I thought it was just me," Wendy adds. "You do smell different."

"Who taught you?"

"No one had to teach me," Draco says.

"So you're like Laxus then?"

"In a distant sense. Although, the one who fuelled his lacrima was Electrise, a mighty fine lady. A cousin of your Grandeeny."

That shocks everyone. "So Wendy's and Laxus's magic makes them cousins?" Lucy asks.

"Yes, you could say that. Family by magic." _Wait. Then that means I'm the great-grandfather to them all,_ Draco realises.

"You know an awful lot about our dragons for an outsider," Gajeel points out.

"Not just your dragons, but a lot of them. Especially the ones that took up slayers."

"How many of them were there?" Master asks.

"Oh, there were loads of dragons, but I think maybe only seventy-five ever took on humans to raise, and very few took on seconds. There are only three taking on kids today. But no where near your country for the most part."

"How do you know this?" The master asks.

"I pay attention." He leaves it at that.

"What about your smell?" Gajeel pushes, already suspicious of something. Lucy eyes him and adds him to a list in his mind of who to pull aside to quiet.

"Do I smell that bad?"

"No, Mr. Draco," Wendy says. "You smell kind of like Lucy." Her face then turns slightly pink at her implication.

"Well I did just come from her place. She offered me a place to stay and I accepted. Couldn't turn her down. I had no other belongings though, so Laxus borrowed me a teammate called Freed's clothes."

"I owned a shirt like that?" Freed voices from by Laxus.

"And these shoes," he says, pointing to his feet.

"Huh," he says after looking at the items. "They must have been at the back of the closet. Go ahead and keep them."

"Thank you. I'll pay you back."

"No, keep them, I insist."

"So you smell like her because you came from her house?" Gajeel interrupts. "Flametard stayed over a while and he never smelled so potently like Lucy," he smirks.

Draco turns his gaze back to the other slayer and locks onto his red eyes. "Are you asking my relationship to Miss Lucy?" Wendy looks down at the ground, feeling some kind of pressure second hand. She soon is kneeling with her head down with Carla quietly questioning what she is doing. Romeo loses the golden ball when he notices Wendy kneeling. Laxus is doing everything to keep his head up as he looks away from the scene while no one else is effected. "If so, that is quite bold of you, Son of Metalicana."

Gajeel looks down and away from his golden eyes, bowing slightly at the waist, gritting his teeth at the sudden display. "No, sir." People are looking at him shocked, even the master. No one aside from Lucy notice how Draco's eyes flare and his pupils elongate sharply.

"Good. Now apologise for the implication to the question of her purity."

His bow dips lower as he faces her. "I apologise, Bunny Girl." Draco glances at Lucy to see her eyes become wide in disbelief. Draco pokes her side and inclines his head to the man before them.

"Apology accepted," she says and the pressure is suddenly let up. Laxus relaxes beside her, Wendy's hands catch her on the floor, and Gajeel stands up, bewildered and pissed at the same time.

"What the hell was that?"

"You angered me. You should know better than to publicly announce a thing like that. Metalicana was crude at times, but he wasn't _that_ bad."

Gajeel points his iron sword arm to Draco's throat. People gasp and master looks mad.

"Gajeel stop it! He is a fellow guild member!"

"How do you know Metalicana?"

Draco reaches up and touches the sword, changing it back, much to Gajeel's obvious displeasure. "Well enough." Draco's eyes flash again and Gajeel barely catches it. "Now stand down." Gajeel's arm goes down and he backs up, eyes glued to the floor. "Hesitate with any questions for now. The answers will come later."

"Yes, sir."

"You're dismissed." Draco finally releases him and he stalks away to the bar to eat his iron scraps. Everyone is just looking at him warily, wondering what just happened.

"Not even an hour into guild life and you have one of our strongest apologising," the master says.

"It's a Dragon Slayer thing," Draco brushes off.

"None that I've seen. Can we talk? It can be in private if you wish."

Draco looks to Lucy who nods her head. "Yes." They get up from the table and follow the master, Draco followed by Lucy and the whole Thunder Legion.

They settle around his office. "You know, I didn't think seven people meant 'in private'."

"I'm not talking to you without Lucy, Lucy's kin wasn't going to leave her, and these other people have been deemed okay to tell, and so now apparently you."

"Bixlow, Evergreen, Freed. What you learn about this man and everything that has happened, you cannot tell until Blondie says. Understood?"

"Yes, Laxus," they reply in unison.

"I can't order you Gramps, but the same applies to you."

"I can keep a secret when it matters."

"It shouldn't be terribly long, and apparently you could win money by the end of it if what I heard earlier was correct."

"Money?"

"Not the point, Gramps. Just zip your lips about what will be said."

"Okay. For my child, I will."

Freed is ordered to put another silence wall up just in case and everything is let out for the next hour. "I would show you if I could, but then this place would _really_ smell like a dragon and she had planned to keep it a secret for now, he finishes, closing the story.

"I was going to challenge Natsu and when people bet on him, I would take their bets."

"You think you could beat him?"

"Yes. From what I can tell and what I've been told, when I master this, I could probably take Laxus down." The Thunder Legion and Makarov looks at Laxus, shocked as even he nods.

"If he thinks so, then I'll be betting on you, child."

"Thanks."

"Now, let's join that party!"


	37. Chapter 37

Two days later, they find themselves out in the forest in a clearing. Draco changes into his dragon form the size of when he first showed up, leaving Freed, Evergreen, and Bixlow speechless while Master just laughs. "This is good. I've never heard of a celestial dragon."

"I am the first dragon," he speaks right into their heads, startling them. "That is why the Iron Dragon Slayer could not oppose me the other day, and that is why I knew their dragon parents. All the dragons on Earthland evolved from me. I've kept tabs over the years on my children's doings."

"Wow. So you could pretty much control any dragon slayer?"

"Any dragon too, but I have to be there to do it, so there was no way for me to counter Acnologia for you guys. I wasn't able to leave the celestial plane, even when Leo wanted me to. I didn't even have a gate."

"That's no matter now," Master says, perched on a rock. "Now you can help Lucy grow in magic."

"And now we can get started, right?" He turns to Lucy. "Crux wasn't kidding about how powerful you would be able to be. Are you sure you want to master everything about what it means to be my dragon slayer?"

"Of course. I would have the strength to help protect my family."

"With as much magic you will be cycling through and holding, you may even feel worse on transportation than your other slayer counterparts. It is the magic embedded in them that throws off their equilibrium."

"Worse?"

"Yes. It takes tremendous energy to summon spirits to start with, but you also temporarily hold Aquarius's mark, and now you're adding to that tenfold. Should you get her back though, that will leave, but I can't say that you will feel better."

"I'll...I'll manage it. Somehow."

"Okay. Did Laxus tell you about your energy when you master it?"

"Uh, no? He just summed everything up."

"Ha. Figures." The dragon stretches out his wings a bit as they all sit upon rocks. "These are the trusted people, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, they can hear then." He commits their faces to memory. "When we are almost done, you should be able to open all of your gates and keep them open at one time."

"How does that work?"

"You know that your spirits feed on your energy to stay here, right?"

"Yes."

"As a celestial dragon slayer, you would be able to do the same to them to power up. By the time we're done, you should be able to keep that loop up to keep them here. At the same time, you could add power to the mix because of your sun and stars."

"An indefinite loop of energy...that sounds pretty cool." _We could all hang out together and do something. I don't know what exactly we could do, but something._

"That is why celestial dragon slayers holding keys are the best."

"Have there been many?"

"No, you're the second. I've only taken on one other student and that was early on when I came to Earthland. He didn't hold the Zodiacs though, just the silvers I had on hand. It was early, the first times we were contracted by keys. Well, I lived freely where I pleased then."

"So how long would it take for me to be finished with training?"

"Well, you're body has already changed and that usually takes a long while. It will be five or six months until you could probably take that Natsu character you wish to show up. A year to a year and a half to work up to the full loop while adding energy to the loop, maybe a few months after that if you wish to teleport. We can work on streamlining energy use so you aren't excessive. That's all doing it twice a week for a full day anyway."

"Could we do more than just twice a week?"

"We could work up to it. I don't want to take away the social aspect of your life, nor burn you out. When we add days, we might make them all shorter, but I'm limiting you to five days a week maximum, and we will work on meditation and control with Capricorn between each session."

"So it would be three with just you and two with you and Capricorn?"

"Alternately. We might add Leo as well for some physical days to get a proper defence up, possible offence. Laxus could join us actively on meditation days and train his own focus too with his lightning dragon slayer magic."

"He could?"

"I don't see why not. He'll gain control enough to do things like I did with the little boy or play around and do what he wants too. I don't know how the rest of yours' works or I would say is take you all on those days."

"I'll do it. Your trick the other day with Romeo was interesting."

"You're joining us?"

"Yes, Blondie, I'll join those days. Maybe they'll let me in on the physical training when you have to fight bigger people as well."

"An excellent thought. Okay. Today, we're meditating and finding the dragon within you."

"Call Capricorn?" She readies her keys, but he stops her.

"Another day. I assume you have found your celestial magic before, correct?"

"Yes."

"This is just the same process, but it may be a different part of you when you feel it. Do you remember where the celestial magic came from?"

"My heart. It was like sunshine."

"Good. This may feel similar to that, but it may not produce a spring or summer-like feel that your key power would give you. There's a lot of space and it is more visible at night. It might be a bit cooler, like a winter sky without the ice."

"What?"

"You'll understand when you find the dragon magic. It might even be more predatory."

"So what about Laxus?"

"Are you joining us today?"

"Uh...sure."

"Have you found your magic before?"

"You mean meditating and all that? No."

"Okay. Lucy, you're going to have to pull Capricorn out to get Laxus up to speed. They can do that at the other side of the clearing; lightning has a tendency to shoot out."

"Got it." Capricorn comes out and takes Laxus to the edge away from the other spectators as Draco and Lucy sit with their eyes closed.

"Now, with the same process, find your key magic to recognise it again, then look past it. It could be a bit deeper."

Twenty minutes later, Lucy says she found something. "It feels like a beach."

"That doesn't sound right. Where does it originate?"

"My collarbone, but I feel it in my hips too."

"That could be your Aquarius Mark. We'll need you to look farther than that."

"Okay." It takes a long time before Lucy says anything more and she says she think she has it again. "I feel it in my stomach. It feels like...night?"

"That should be it."

"It feels kind of funny though."

"How so?"

"Invigorating like anything can happen, but also like I'm walking in a dark alleyway, waiting for something bad to happen."

"That would be the predatory part. You feel a slight amount of danger, correct?"

"Yes."

"It basically means that in the wrong hands, your magic can be dangerous. Like meet-your-new-dictator dangerous. But from how you treat your spirits and how I heard you turned away from power before, you'll be just fine for me to teach. Now, can you focus on that energy and send it out steadily? It isn't going to clash with your other magics because they are all celestial based, but this one is a more raw form." He opens his eyes to watch her now and sees her face scrunch up. "It might enhance the others and be confusing, but I only want you to focus on this one for now. Later we can work with them in tandem. It might work better if you call a few of your spirits out to...distract it? I think that is a good way to put it. Practice calling silently. Just push the magic into your keys with the intent to pull them through, not just talk. It may take a couple more of us to distract it."

"Who should I call?"

"No one that will mess with your focus, and do not open your eyes to do it." She reaches down and sends power into the keys to find the ones she is looking for and silently summons Aires and Plue. She hears them some through a minute later over by the spectators, a mumbled apology from the sheep spirit and Plue goes to sit on Freed's lap. "Capricorn can work on that later with you to speed it up, but good job for your second, but even better, silent summons."

"Thanks!"

"Now that your key magic is busy, as it should be. That is two Zodiacs, right?"

"Yep!"

"Now, focus on the dragon energy. Gather it up and send it outward, but don't rush it."

 _Oh, like working with Aquarius's magic then,_ she simplifies in her head. She inflates it like a balloon until it fills her whole person. The night feeling spreads and she can feel her body hum with the energy.

"Whatever it is you're doing, keep it up. Are you feeling tired?"

"Now that you mention it, I am."

"Okay, we'll be incorporating a lot of things today I guess. You passed the other part sooner than I had thought." _I thought it may take a couple of days, not an hour, maybe._ "Do you feel the sun above you?"

"Yes?"

"I want you to pull that energy into your body."

"I'm going to eat the sun? Isn't that not a good thing?"

"You aren't going to make it dark or anything, you're just feeding on it's energy, kind of like a plant."

"Am I going to turn into a plant?" She jokingly asks.

"You may not eat as much meat as you once have, but I still want you to eat it."

"Wait, I'm not going to want to eat a whole cow or something?" She opens her eyes in surprise to see the dragon.

"You'll eat plenty, but I don't think you'll eat that much meat, even for a dragon slayer. Laxus may even have to make sure you get it into you at times. Now shut your eyes and draw in the sun: you're losing focus."

"Right." She closes her eyes and imagines the sunbeams as a semi-tangible substance to consume. _How do you even? What does sunlight even taste like? How about when I eat it? You can see Natsu eat flames and Gajeel eat iron and sort of see Wendy, but would I just be standing there with my mouth open?_

"Quit overthinking it," Draco says. "Just get the energy so we can keep working."

"Fine."


	38. Chapter 38

She feels silly, but opens her mouth while sort of facing the sun. She feels eyes looking at her, but tries to ignore them as she tries to gather in the sunlight. Before long, she starts feeling frustrated.

"Relax. It will get easier when you get the hang of it. Later when your control is managed, you might be able to spin the light into balls and eat those, but that is one of the last things that you'll be able to learn. I'll teach you later."

"Spin it? Like yarn?"

"I was thinking more of the lines of cotton candy that Aires makes back home, but I guess so."

"Candy floss! Perfect imagery, okay." She imagines that the sunbeams are no more than a silk worm's silk and starts weaving them together until it is thread's thickness, and then braiding them until it is thinner yarn. _Okay, now to make it, it swirls super fast, right? That would be like what he was doing at the guildhall. Swirling. How would that be? Just around and around? No, or you'll just get a wrapped cord or an easy mess. What I need is a ball, pieces going every way to stay together, but generally the same direction. Organised chaos. In spherical form, it would have to be moving like...like...huh. Like what? They aren't steady or I'd finish with the yarn thing and make a yarn ball. Moving constantly, consistent sphere. Oh, it is right there too! It's a...hmm. Mom had one, had a fairy inside and glitter all around and it looked like it was sno- a snow globe! Perfect! So the strings are all thrown around randomly in harmony like a snow globe._ Lucy smiles, which has Draco wondering what is going on in her head.

Then he noticing her hands starting to glow. Eyeing them closer, he is surprised as balls of light are formed over her palms, twirling to keep form. _Is that magic, or light?_ He leans closer to sniff them and figured out that it is sunlight. _They almost look like replicas of the sun, just made of light and not all of the other elements. But how? I haven't taught her this._ They get to be decent sized and slow down to a stop, keeping their shape as they fall right to her hand.

"It worked?" She is looking at her hand in disbelief.

"How did you do it?"

"I didn't know if it would."

"What were you thinking about?"

"Well, I was thinking about what you showed Romeo at the guildhall."

"That was magic though, not sunlight. We weren't even outside."

"Doesn't the same process work?"

"That isn't the point. Maybe you should show and tell me what you can do."

"But I didn't know that."

"You're calling it beginner's luck?"

"I guess so. I was just imagining it and it turned out right." She holds the little ball up and inspects it. The ball is about the same size as an apple and she tosses it between her hands.

"It's holding steady?"

"I think so. Catch!" She tosses it at him and he easily plucks it out of the air with his front claws.

"That's interesting. It obviously has enough to it that it didn't drift in the air and it felt like it had some impact, but it is as light as air. And it stayed together out of your hands." He thinks about it. "Can you make another one?"

"Sure, it should be faster this time since I know what I'm going for." She whips one up again and it turns out the same.

"Alright, you can eat that one. I'm going to see how long this one lasts untouched." He rolls it over to the people waiting and watching. "Don't touch it, just tell me when it falls apart," he instructs them.

"What is it?" Freed asks.

"Sunlight. Didn't you hear him?"

"I, uh, made it so only you would hear me."

"So it seemed like I was having a conversation with myself?"

"It allowed me to just focus on you."

"This is sunlight?" Freed asks, looking at it in wonder.

"Yes." Lucy holds up the ball she has. "Do do I just eat this like normal food?"

"I don't know how well it would work out cooking with it. Just eat it like you would a normal fruit."

"If you say so." Lucy lifts it to her face and is about to eat it. "Are you sure?"

"Of course."

She takes a bite out of it and the flavour floods her. It is like honey, fruit, and something she can only describe as spring and summer all wrapped into one thing. "Woah. This tastes awesome."

"You're able to eat it fine? No uncomfortableness?"

"I think so."

"Okay then, finish up. We were working on something else, weren't we? Find the dragon part and push it out, and stretch it, like a muscle before you jog."

"I've never really been one for jogging."

"Really? Your legs look quite muscular."

"Yes, really."

"Well, the concept still applies." She continues to eat her light ball. "After a few days of stretching it out, you won't have to anymore since it will be stretched to you. Your other dragon slayer friends didn't have to do this part because they grew up with this magic. Now find, push, and stretch outward. It will end up feeling like a bubble around you."

"Got it." She closes her eyes and easily finds the night-like feeling and floods her body with it again. Feeling discord in her body, she silently summons Loke and Gemini before it eases again. Her focus shifts better onto her dragon magic and pushes it out of her skin and beyond in one blow. _It hasn't left me like I thought it would. Not like a balloon that is hallow on the inside as Aquarius's magic does, but more like an indestructible water balloon that is six feet in diameter. A thick, membrane-like thing all the way around of magic, but it feels like it is also floating around the space and in me. It feels like I could just float with it._

"Now hold it for as long as you can. You can still hear me, right?"

"I can, Draco."

"Good." Draco walks over to Gemini, who has transformed into Lucy. "How is she doing?"

"Fantastic. Her thoughts are a little funny, but that seems to be just how she imagines the magic is. Says it is like she is floating in a huge water balloon or something."

"Is that normal for her to think of funny ways to describe things?"

"Well, she's a writer. Not published, but the imagination is still there. That is how she made the little ball earlier."

"So she can't tell that her balloon idea was spot on and that she really is floating on the inside of it?" They look at the blue mass of energy that is surrounding a floating Lucy. Every so often it looks like there are yellow streaks going around it.

"No, she thinks it is all in her head."

"That is the physical manifestation of her dragon magic?" Freed asks Draco.

"For the most part, yes. When she works in her celestial magic later, there should be more yellow. Leo, Gemini, Aires, Nicola, Capricorn, and myself...six spirits, four being Zodiacs, and she can still make a ball that is two yards wide. Incredible. It won't take her long to complete this after all if she is already working with six. Is she pushing herself too much, Gemini?"

"No obvious signs of strain, her heart is steady and her breathing is slow, like she just concentrating on her magic. She doesn't know how long it has been, but she doesn't feel tired. But she-ha!"

"What?"

"She was wondering if we just left with her sitting in a clearing, meditating." Draco is about to all out to her, but Gemini stops him. "Wait, I can hear me speak."

"But she is halfway across the field," Freed says.

"Her senses are coming in then. With all that stretching, they are going to appear," Loke points out.

"Oh no," Draco says.

"What?"

"I thought they would come gradually or I'd have to teach her, but if they are coming in all at once..."

"How do we stop her?" Loke asks, instantly understanding the problem.

"We can't. Gemini, change to someone else."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

She huffs and turns into Draco's human form. "So that's why. And you're right about not getting her out, but we could try letting her disperse it herself."

"How?"

She turns to Lucy. "Hey Princess! It's Gemini here. Open your eyes."

"You sound like Draco."

"I _am_ Draco. Now open them, sweetie." Lucy laughs and opens her eyes, and they go super wide in shock and wonder.

"What is this?"

"It's your magic."

"It is so beautiful. It is like I'm flying through the night sky."

"That's pretty cool. Listen, your dragon senses are about to catch up with you."

"Is that why I can hear you fine when you're speaking normally?"

"Yes, and it is going to hit you like a freight train any moment now. You need to dissipate this or reign it in before that happens."

"How do I do that?"

"Bring in as much as you can first, then shoot the excess into the sky, straight up."

"Wouldn't that be a little suspicious?"

"It may, but if it is this active when your senses hit you, you could hurt all of us as you loose control of it. It would be like letting a pack of dogs loose on everyone."

"Great," she says sarcastically. "That was a smart move."

"Could I write runes for you?" Freed asks. "I could put up a safety shield."

"Good idea, Freed." Master says and Gemini turns into Freed, assessing him.

"No, this is not good. You don't know enough about what you are deflecting or how to describe it to be useful right now, but," she changes to Aires. "Wool wall for a perimeter may work. Go around the field."

"Alright!" The real Aires puts her hands up and mutters apologies as she makes a pink cushion around the field, attracting the attention of the two at the other side.

"What's going on with Blondie? Why is here two of Freed?"

"Two of-" Freed looks at Gemini to see that she has definitely turned into him again.

"What? I like your hair."

"This is not the time to be fooling around, Gemini," Loke warns.

"What is wrong with providing a little comic relief to the situation, Leo? Princess Lucy is going to be fine. She is going to reign it all in."

"You can't know that. She doesn't even know how."

"She'll figure it out, just give her time."

"We don't have long."

"Patience, Draco; she's got this. Aires is almost done with the barrier, but I'm sure we won't need it. I have trust in my girl."

"I do trust her."

"Yes, to learn magic. Add more faith to that trust. The bubble is already shrinking." They look back over to find it true before Taurus, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Cancer, and Virgo appear. After that, the magic shrinks quickly back into her. "I would teach her using them in tandem soon, but all us Zodiacs are out now." After it is into her, Lucy stands.

"I did it. Hey guys, I-ah!" She falls to the ground while clutching her head.

Laxus speeds over to her to pick her up and she cries at the noise of his footfalls. "What is wrong with her?"

"Holding her magic caused her to get her extra senses extra quick and it is overpowering her."

"What can we do?"

"Nothing."

"But it didn't hit _me_ like this."

"You got it gradually as you grew and adapted to it. It is hitting her full blast right now and she doesn't know how to dampen it or ignore it."

"So teach her how."

"That is something I cannot, but I'm surprised her spirits are still here, all of her Zodiacs too...she had the clock guy too, right Leo?"

"Horologium? Yes."

"Lucy, call out Horologium. He should make it bearable until you get used to it by steadily increasing your senses." She follows the loud command quickly and is wrapped up into the grandfather clock.

"'Thanks, Draco,' she says gratefully." He says like an unbiased narrator.

"Not a permanent thing. Just get used to it bit by bit. For now, put the Zodiacs up so you can maintain Horologium until you are ready."

"'Okay,' she affirms understandably."

"Horologium, I am asking you to clear your schedule for as long as this takes. Can you do it?"

"I am certain it will be possible."

"Good. We will continue when you have been acclimated to your new senses."


	39. Chapter 39

After a week and a half of overcoming the torturous senses, she finally learns to deal with it, even around the louder guild for the last two days. Not only did she learn how to sit in the loud noise, she also learned how to tune into certain things. She also found that some of her favourite foods weren't as tasty as she thought for no visible reason, but she found a new liking to Freed's cooking. "Of course," Freed says when she comments it. "If Laxus likes it, I'm sure you would. He picks out what smells good to him, so if it doesn't, I try not use it. I've gotten better to the point where I don't really need him there when shopping anymore." He promises to teach her with her new senses in mind. One thing that sticks out to her, and almost made her puke once or twice, was the smell of meat as it was cooking. She found herself substituting the meat in some dishes with fish, which didn't smell nearly as bad while cooking, which is why it was also good that Natsu brings plenty of fresh fish to her house to eat.

Soon enough she is back in the field with Draco as a human and they easily pick up where they left off. "Without channelling any other magic right now, open as many keys as you can without saying a word."

"Okay." She doesn't get as many out as before, but since she is not trying to keep the dragon side at bay for the meantime, it is remarkable that she gets four others out.

"Good! Three Zodiacs and...Plue, right? Why Plue, Lucy?"

"He wanted to hang out with Freed," she says as the little dog walks up and it's by Freed as Capricorn takes Laxus aside for more meditation, much to Laxus' displeasure. "Will I have to take out everyone every time I use my dragon magic?"

"Until you can concentrate correctly on it, yes, but it should be soon. How did you do on your homework from the other day?"

"The light thing, right?"

"Yes."

"Pretty good actually. I can make them look like different food shapes, but it is weird that they are all yellow-coloured."

"It IS light, Lucy."

"Still, it's weird, but I like the apple the best."

"Circles are the easiest, but it is good you got the manipulation basics down."

"Once I made it almost like a liquid though. It was about as thick as a milkshake, but it wasn't solid."

"Impressive. Alright, how about we make some rope."

"Rope?"

"Strong, durable, holds together..." He flicks his arm out and light manifests to dangle from his hand and he flicks his wrist, snapping it at the ground and making a sound, "powerful rope."

"So it can be like a whip?"

"It can, but I want rope. You normally wouldn't tie someone up with a whip." It takes Lucy a couple hours to make rope strong enough to withstand being tied or swung around, and it takes another hour until she is quick enough to make it good for practical use. "Okay, that is just light. While it is made with your magic, isn't magic itself. What I want you to do now is combine the light with your magic. Watch." He flicks another rope into existence and holds it closer to her so she can look at it closely. "If you mix it finely, it may look green," he shows her quickly how it may look, "and that's okay. People will underestimate it and think plant vine if you get the ratio right. Personally, I generally keep thicker stripes," he makes them braid together, more blue than yellow, "so you would be able to see the blue and yellow individually. It is up to you though as that doesn't change anything but the colour or pattern. With the dragon infused rope, they will be a bit more resistant to the elements."

"Could you make it all blue if you wanted?"

"You could. It may weigh more like that, but it is by no means heavy, so that's okay. I like sculpting the light like that merely for aesthetic appeal since it is another colour to the blue. Granted, it does kind of look the same as basic Celestial magic, but it is literally light. Pretty cool if you were to ask me. Essentially you could keep light balls in your luggage and fly them like floating lanterns to see your way with, as well as snack on, so it is good to know how to manipulate sunlight. And if you do put light in your objects, you can draw it out," he hovers his hand over the rope and the light leeches out and forms into a ball on his hand, "and there you go. No damage to your object AND you have emergency rations, like if is dark or what have you and you need a pick-me-up."

"I guess that's pretty cool and handy. Let me try." She takes her rope and imagines the blue dragon slayer magic being hooked through it from one end to another and she watches it happen in front of her eyes like she has imagined it.

"Good. Now drop it to see how long it lasts without your touch."

"That again? Freed still has the light ball from the first time."

"Oh. Then never-mind, you already passed that step I guess. Okay, so we did manipulation, you got your senses, you've eaten, we'll do night hiding another time...can you make your lights move without touching or talking?"

"I don't know. Let's see." She makes a ball an throws it in the air, asking it to stay. It sticks in the air like a sticker would. She makes it move around, and manifests one behind Draco, moving it towards herself to whoop into his shoulder.

"Good one! Alright, next would be strength and agility training, so start running the perimeter."

"When until?"

"Until I say stop. And do not walk. Just keep running." She starts jogging around the clearing as he talks. "We need to get you into shape at a base level. Your dragon magic will keep you generally healthy, but if you start off stronger, you will most likely stay that way even when you don't actively keep your health. The quicker we raise your strength and agility now, the better it will be later."

"Got it!" She says, her two little lights following her like Bixlow's babies. Draco then sets up a ball of light every ten of her foot falls to make a ring around the clearing to stay with. Time ticks on and Lucy gets tired, but keeps going since he hasn't called it quits.

"Don't you think that's enough?" Freed asks Draco. "It has been a few hours."

"I didn't think she would make it past the first without tiring out because of the size of her chest, so this is good. She isn't even using her magic apart from keeping the original spirits out, which is excellent. I wonder where that energy is coming from. I want to see how long she can go." They watch her a few more minutes until Draco speaks again. "She surely has endurance down, so how about some road blocks?" He lifts his hands and makes a few motions like cupboard doors shutting. As he does this hurdles of different sizes lift from the ground, mostly blue with yellow flashes and streaks, the highest being knee high since she has been running a while. Between the hurdles things like pillars have been set up on the left, middle, or right sides of the path which she has to run around at random. "There. Another day I'll add light traps and we can all throw the light balls at her so the dodging part will be included, but this is fine for now."

"How do you know she can keep going?"

"I don't. I'm testing her. I'll rely on Gemini if it gets to be too much, but it seems like the dragon part has already fully soaked in her muscles and bones already. It's fascinating I just didn't think it would keep her going this long. We may need to pitch a tent next time. Look! She still has the energy to jump over the higher hurdles. Maybe she can learn hand-to-hand tomorrow with Leo. She'll have to learn how that works and be proficient in it and agility to use the iconic dragon slayer moves and secret arts."

"So no dragon yet?" Laxus asks, walking up with Capricorn.

"Not yet, but if she keeps surpassing the marks this quickly it won't be too much longer."

"Then you better prepare; she has a habit of surprising people," Laxus says before walking away from the two standing there and joining Lucy on the course silently.


	40. Chapter 40

About a month later she is ready and they begin. "We will start with a roar. Focus your magic to the back of your throat as you breath in until it swells to roughly the same size of Plue's paw and shoot it forward in an explosion when you exhale. You don't have to announce what your doing as most people and dragon slayers do. I know you have gotten good with your silent summons, so just keep that habit for this. However, if you do wish to call out, 'celestial' dragon is a bit of a mouthful in battle, so say 'star dragon', okay?"

"I don't think I'll yell out, Draco. Laxus doesn't even do that."

"It's stupid, repetitive, and something the dragon idiots do," Laxus shrugs.

"I agree with the first parts. I can't remember which idiot thought to teach that. I understand script mages and that memory make mage I heard about and others who use voice with their magic, but generally it isn't something that is needed. So, let's start with these and make it through the list before the specific dragon arts that aren't so secret."

It takes her four more months to get to the special arts, but it was fun going over things with Laxus. It then take a month to master those, and another few weeks to get camouflage, teleportation, and a kind of flight down. It isn't technically flying but pulling herself up to the stars individually, but it is pretty much the same thing in the end. "Okay, the last major thing would be combining your magics, so start meditating and find them again." She does so easily after being in time with them for this long already. "There is a natural barrier between your magics inside of you. Can you find it? It should almost feel like a gap between them. I want you to remove that barrier. Since you work better by imagining things, make it something you can erase, dissolve, or break down, and do it. This will make you sicker on transportation, activate the Dragonforce ability and appearance, and let the circular energy thing come into play. This is the last thing I should be able to teach you apart from little tricks and cool things like I showed Romeo when I first met him."

"You mean that's it?" Lucy says sadly, opening her eyes again.

"You blew through everything beautifully. Now I can only fight beside you or keep you company. Maybe give good tips here and there."

"Good. Okay, now to break it down." She examines the wall inside of her. _Actually, I like the dissolve thought better. The magics want to go to one another, so they are going through the walls themselves from both sides. The wall would get thinner with their efforts and soon they would be together: golden stars shining through the beautiful night sky._ A golden glow softly surrounds Lucy as her nails shift to claws and her scales appear in gold, blue, and white; blue outnumbering the gold and white.

"As always, you are some kind of natural. That looks good. Now your body should be fairly resistant to elemental attacks." She opens her eyes and marvels at her skin. "Not impenetrable, but fairly strong. The scales are tough, but you can move freely, correct?" Lucy wiggles her arms at her sides and feels how natural the scales are by running her fingers on them.

"They feel oddly soft and flexible."

"They should be. Now look up." She does and Freed gasps as Laxus raises his eyebrows. "Golden eyes, just like me. Excellent. They look marvelous on you as well. They'll return to brown outside of Dragonforce. What I half expected to see was wings, but you already have flying down, so that's good."

"I feel wonderful," Lucy says, standing up.

"Go ahead, call everyone out."

"Do I have to be in this form to do that?"

"No, but I figured you would want to show them." With that, she eagerly calls them all out at once and thy show up around her with big smiles, congratulating her. After a few minutes of this, Laxus speaks up.

"I think you are beyond ready to take on Flametard. You could have had him last month alone. Just know that when you beat him, Metalhead will want a crack at you."

"I could probably take them at once to save time then."

"Yeah, you could. Okay, let's set up a date."

"Alright!" She closes her eyes and the scales absorb back into her body. "Let's go to the guild!"

They almost all get there when Freed speaks up. "Wouldn't it tip some people off if you walk in with all of your spirits out?"

"Oh yeah...okay, I guess you'll have to go away," she speaks to the group. "I'm sorry for ignoring you guys up until now. From now on, I'll lean on you guys. Let's do this again and have a party! Maybe a celebration when I get through this at the guild." A cheer rises up and they disappear. After they are gone, they get to the guild and the four of them walk in together. After the usual greetings, most still finding it odd that Laxus was with her, even with Freed there, she singles out Natsu. "I want to fight you," she says.

"Really? Bring it."

"Not here, but I want to fight you and Gajeel."

"What's that Bunny Girl?" Gajeel says from the next booth with Levy. "You want to train?"

"Fight. I want to fight you." She says, getting mildly irritated. "And Natsu. Together."

"Oh, you wanted to learn to fight...that's boring," Natsu says, slumping down.

"Damn idiots," Laxus says. "It's a declaration of challenge. Just meet her in the fighting spot later."

"Whatever," Gajeel says.

"This is getting nowhere," Lucy says as Laxus walks to the bar. "Isn't Natsu always up for a fight?"

"Only if he sees you as strong," Freed says. "In a way, isn't this an insult to you? He is usually after Laxus, Gildarts, and sometimes Erza. Not to mention he constantly bickers with Gray."

"Hey everyone!" Mira calls out. "Lucy has challenged Natsu and Gajeel to a duel in the clearing!" There's an explosion of noise as it sinks in.

"Is it true?"

"Why, Lucy?"

"Lu-chan, what's going on?"

"Alright! That's manly, issuing a letter of challenge!"

Underneath the worried chatter, people start getting excited and debating while signing up for bets with Master. "Who's up for a bet?"

"It's a Celestial wizard against two dragon slayers. It'll be a washout."

"What is she doing, wanting to fight both of them? She's a holder type."

"Don't underestimate her!"

"Say what you want about her spirits or whatever Levy, but you have to admit, she is at a disadvantage here. Why don't you vote for Gajeel?"

"Did a new spirit make her cocky? She has been taking solo missions lately."

 _To use my newfound abilities in practical matters, learning when to apply which to what situation. It also helped Draco learn more about the time we are in._

"I'm voting for Lucy," Gray says, putting his ticket down.

"You think she can do it?"

"Like Hell I'm voting for Flamebrain."

"Really? Even though you're..."

"Hmm..." Gray thinks. "Maybe I should vote for Gajeel then."

 _Isn't that a scandal?!_ Mira thinks, but doesn't voice it.

"It'll have to be either Gajeel or Natsu."

"Big brother Natsu will win, no doubt," Romeo says.

"He and Gajeel tie when fighting most of the time, right? This will be a close one."

"Remember, it isn't all three against each other; it is Lucy against the two of them."

"But once Lucy is done, surely they will keep fighting, so it is basically a three way bet. My money is on Gajeel.

"Who are you going for Master?"

"Hmm. The opposition is strong, but I think I'll side with Lucy. Yup," he smiles cheekily. "I think I'll vote for the girls of Fairy Tail every time."

"You're betting a no-risk amount though."

"I'd like to bet on my princess," Loke says, showing up unannounced.

"You're her spirit, so of course you would."

"I still have a betting place, don't I? Let me. I'll bet for all the spirits," he says, setting a rather large sum down.

"Why get in the way of someone wanting to burn money?" Someone mutters and he is easily accepted.

The bets go in for a battle set for the next afternoon so bets could be called from those away, most siding for Natsu, but almost neck and neck with Gajeel while Lucy is in the dust, only haven earned the votes of the Thunder Legion and the Master with Leo. People almost questioned why Laxus would take her side, but since people now knew about the kinship relationship, they wrote it off as prior allegiance since his bet, like Master, wasn't of any risk. Even Natsu and Gajeel were in the bet voting on themselves after an argue meant between the two, so Lucy put one for herself, almost half of what her spirits were putting up, but it was all she could really spare. However, Lucy felt discouraged as her whole team and other friends voted against her. "It's fine Lucy. You wanted to win the bets and prove them wrong, remember?" Freed says back at her place.

"I understand, but Levy didn't even give it a second thought."

"Blondie, they don't know you're a slayer. That is why you're doing this. Buck up and do this with the pride of us behind you: your second family, I guess."

"Yeah," she says and flops down on the other side of the couch next to him. "I have my brother on my side." He puts his arm around her naturally, something the others are still unsettled about, since the first time that happened. Laxus has his guard up for everyone aside from Lucy now. He doesn't have long, drawn out and chatty conversations with her, by he does talk more with her there, and mostly to her.

And then there is Lucy. He smiles at her and has stopped resisting anything with her. For example, if she wants a hug, she gets one. He tries consoling her. He is learning all of her spirits names and what they do as trying to understand them like Lucy does. He tries to take an interest in what she likes doing. "Just think: if he ever gets a mate, it will be worse than this," Freed says offhandedly one time aside to Bixlow and Evergreen and they look at him funny.

"Isn't he with you, dude?" Bixlow asks.

 _Crap. I forgot we were pretending still. Think of something!_ "But Bixlow, look at those two sometime. If he is like that with his kin, isn't it a bit obvious that I am not his chosen mate?"

"Don't be discouraged, Freed. T took him this long before she was made kin." Evergreen says, and the only response to that is to look down and walk away. _Great. Now they will pity me and think there is something wrong with out relationship...well, more wrong I guess. But we haven't gotten around to ending it with what all is going on with Lucy.  
_

The morning of the fight, all Lucy can stomach to eat are two of the light apples she had put in her cupboard, even if Freed made enough breakfast for her at their place, thinking she would stop by after getting ready. "Why doesn't she just move in?" Ever says, looking at the abundance of food that morning before she gets there. "She and Laxus are obviously close and we do have another room, so what is the issue? It has been months."

"I don't know. I don't think it was brought up," Freed says. _Liar. Laxus is thinking of me because I hold an interest in her. That would just be weird if she moved in now._

After breakfast they head to the clearing designated by Makarov for big fights so the guild wouldn't get wrecked as much. Makarov approaches Freed and they go off to set a barrier up, the Master being afraid that the seclusion wouldn't be enough. After it is set up, the rest of the guild settles onto the few stands of risers to watch the fight like a high school football game. Natsu and Gajeel ascend onto the field, almost ready to fight each other. Lucy walks onto the grass with her keys practically humming on her side. What everyone is startled with is that Laxus walks on too, but keeps walking to the opposing side. "What are you doing over here? Shouldn't you be in the stands?" Gajeel asks.

"I haven't fought her yet. Let me join you."

"I haven't taken you down yet."

"You can try. Later." He looks to Lucy. "Blondie. If you dare go easy on me, you'll pay."

"Fine. Three against one then. Come all at once, I don't care."

The counter ticks down and the fight begins, even as the people are still confused about the new plan.


	41. Chapter 41

"What's this? Laxus has already shifted into high gear?" Warren acts as the commentator for the fight. Laxus has shifted into his Dragonforce. "This is probably the first time in a long time anyone has seen him get this serious this quickly and no one knows what to make of it." Natsu wastes no time charging Lucy to punch her with his flame engulfed hands, she pulls out Leo's Star Dress and moves out of the way. "Natsu threw the first punch and Lucy is immediately defensive! But wait! Lucy trips him and dives after him and gets a hit in! She has punched him right on the face! Woah! Lucy is almost dancing around the arena avoiding Gajeel's Demon Logs. I didn't even see him start his move! Wait, aren't her eyes closed? How is she doing this? Wait, she has picked up metal that Gajeel has flung and apparently has changed into her Aires Star Dress! When did she do that?"

"You're a lousy commentator Warren!" Gray calls out. "You're too late for everything and you're not saying much. Just let us watch!"

"Fine." The match continues with Lucy challenging Laxus with the rod. What wool gloves don't absorb, she channels it back through her and into the ground and she tries her best hitting him head on as the other two attack.

"Suddenly get weak Blondie? What happened with the energy you had the other week when we were fighting?"

"Can't you see that I'm also trying to avoid getting hit by the other two?"

"I said don't go easy!"

"And I agreed!"

"Prove it! You've hardly used what you had before."

"Plue doesn't belong here!" She says, dodging Natsu's flames. "He is a companion spirit! There is no reason for him to be out now!"

"Your dog? Is that what you're worried about? Calling him into this? Just have him go to Freed!" He says, sending a shock down the rod again before it sparks off and hits Gajeel, making him wince.

"Honestly, I hadn't thought about that. Lyra too I guess."

"Blondie, you're first a celestial wizard, so be one!"

"Can't you shut up?" She says, hitting his knee before pulling it back and hitting his sternum. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm fighting with my family!"

"Really? I don't see how."

"God, Laxus, you're such a terrible brother! How much of a stupid idiot could you be?"

"Wait, you just said the phrase 'stupid idiot'." She kicks him in the gut as his guard falls before turning and punching Gajeel's face.

"I didn't think you would last this long, Bunny Girl," he says, bouncing back.

"Well, what fun would it be to have it over in an instant?" She smiles before spinning and whacking Natsu in the side with her pole like a professional baseball player, right on his ribs, ripping the air from him. "Don't you want to play?" She asks Gajeel, swinging her makeshift bat. She then gears up and throws it like a javelin in his direction, but the blunt end hits behind him on Laxus' shoulder.

"Isn't he your kin?" Gajeel asks.

"He is the one who wanted to fight me."

"That's not true," Laxus says, standing up again as Natsu does, all of them making a circle around Lucy. "I don't want to fight you." Everyone looks at him in confusion. "You are a logical thinker, Blondie, but if it is you who is so focused on the fight, you wouldn't have said 'stupid idiot'; it's too redundant."

"Re-what?" Natsu asks.

"I want to fight Blondie."

"You're blond too, aren't you?"

"A perfect response that time, but I know you're just Gemini."

"Took you long enough!" A voice calls from the corner of the arena as Lucy walks forward. "Too long though. I'm disappointed. I thought you could tell the difference."

"She can be an exact copy, but I want to fight you."

"Technically, weren't you?" She walks and stands in the centre, back to back with Gemini in identical outfits. "We can be the same person after all," they say in a creepy perfect unison.

"But I want to fight you, Blondie."

"Why don't you fight them as well?" Lucy says and Gemini transforms into Laxus and Lucy conjures a staff. The non-Laxus starts fighting Gajeel and Natsu as she starts sighting Laxus with a dragon magic staff.

"Clever, but you're not in your wool outfit anymore," he says, sending lightning down the staff.

She, however, doesn't even flinch, shoving the staff forward and striking his chest and making him stumble back. "You forget you're an elemental dragon slayer apparently. The staff diffuses it."

"Maybe I thought of it different, but then again, there isn't really any light in there, huh?" He points to the dark blue rod.

"I was figuring light into other things at other times. This is purely dark blue, as you can see. But if you can't, allow me to lend you some light!" She surrounds him in a specially made light bubble while checking on the others. They look kind of tired out. She takes a deep breath and sends her magic at them in a brilliant fashion of dark blue and golden particles to their unguarded backs. Gemini, who could see the attack coming, only escaped by zipping it back to the spirit world as the crowd watches on in stunned silence. She walks up and kicks Gajeel hard in the ribs with her dragon muscled leg before walking over and punching Natsu the same way. "That should earn me time." She walks over, channelling her energy into her arm before landing a punch solidly on her light, causing the ball to fly backwards and shatter on the ground, cutting him in various places.

"Better." He holds his palm out as it gathers electricity, but he is suddenly knocked sideways. "What the-?" Suddenly he is under attack by small projectiles from different directions, but his lightning can't do much to them. -Get Blondie.- He sends a bolt her way next, but she holds up something to stop it, making it shoot around her and go to the ground. While they look at each other, a fireball misses Lucy and hits Laxus.

"We are still fighting." Lucy then rolls her eyes before flicking her fingers out, making her light balls appear and knock him down. She then summons a few spirits to deal with them as she focuses on Laxus. She then sends bursts of blue towards him in little balls she throws and he bats them aside haphazardly. When she stops sending them and looks down, he smiles.

"Are you all out? Are you tired? Need a nap?" He teases her, but she looks up with the biggest smile.

"I'll see you later big brother!" Before he has the chance to react, she claps once loudly and suddenly blue surrounds him before the battle is over for him. Next she turns to her original opponents as they face off with about a half dozen Zodiacs. She watches them for a while, the two surrounded and standing back to back before walking up, suddenly calling them all back behind her. "Sorry, I was distracted fighting Laxus, but I'm back now." They look over and see him lying on the ground.

"No way Luce... _I_ was going to get Laxus next," Natsu complains.

"Too bad. Now, how to do this nicely..."

"A fight's a fight, Bunny Girl."

"Okay, come at me together." Bless them both, they both send two dragon breaths. She sets up a blue shield to resist it and they hit the same spot, the fire melting the iron, making it melt to the floor. "That's interesting. I wasn't expecting that, so I guess I should pay you in kind." She teleports behind them both to hit each one solidly in the back of their heads and make them go on their knees. She then drags Natsu over to Gajeel as they gain their bearings again. "I win the fight."


	42. Chapter 42

"No way Bunny Girl."

"Gajeel, you haven't hit me yet." She shoves him over after he stands upright while sending a burst of her magic into his chest.

"What the-" his eyes get bigger as the energy flows through him. "How'd you...this feeling...you're...I don't understand. You're helping me?"

 _I am? Okay._ "Just until you get to your Dragonforce." He gets to it and she smiles. "It's been a while since I've seen it. Laxus came out with it right at first, so I'll make sure I fight all of you like that."

"You're putting yourself at a severe disadvantage."

"I got Laxus, didn't I? Here, I'll let you start." She shows her palms out in almost surrender motion.

"Fine. If you say so." He starts attacking her with different magic spells in rapid succession and soon they are both lost in the dust that clouds the air. As it settles, he disperses his Dragonforce and breathes heavily. Soon enough, Lucy comes back into view, standing nearly identical to how she was, but her clothes a bit torn with wind blown hair and a few scratches and things.

"My turn then? Good." She takes out a key and swirls it around. Expecting a person to pop out of nowhere behind him, his focus momentarily shifts off Lucy, where she sends off a simple 'firework' of golden light, similar to when they all were sending off Erza's old family in Akane, straight at him. Child's play compared to her new abilities, but she figured that he hadn't seen that one before and it would surprise him. And it works whenever it hits him and explodes in front of him because he jumps back. Using that momentum to her advantage, she punches him square in the face downward and he hits the ground hard. While he is down, she attacks his rib cage swiftly, efficiently leaving less injuries for Wendy to heal, but a bit more pain, none of them life threatening.

She then gets up from him and walks to Natsu. She shoves magic into his unstable form and watches him almost come alive. "Now I'm fired up!" He smiles brightly as his Dragonforce form takes place.

 _Fire attached to most blunt force attacks, lots a fire on his own. I need to be resistant to it more to where the heat won't do much._ She quickly wraps her body in blue magic, almost like a another pair of clothes. At last the second when he comes near her, she also adds a shield on her arm that his fist lands on. The impact is a sure blow, but it doesn't seem like the heat is getting to her as much as it should. _In fact,_ she thinks as she counters by punching Natsu in the gut to shoo him off, _it is almost cool._ When that thought takes root, she glances for the first time back up at the stands. "Gray, I don't need your help! I got this!"

"What? I'm not doing anything!" Gray yells back as a few other glare at him.

"You must be! His flames aren't hot!"

"I didn't even vote for you! Why would I help you?"

"I know! Most of the guild didn't vote for me!" Natsu comes close and she is able to kick his side before he starts with the other fire techniques. "That doesn't change what I feel right now. Or I guess in this case, what in not."

"I'm not doing anything!"

"Like I would beli-"

 _Lucy! Bring me out!_

 _Draco?_

 _I can explain, but it is better in person._

 _Fine, but this is my fight._ She dodges a flying kick from Natsu easily and just starts avoiding him so she can talk. _Be a small dragon on my back and try not to be seen._

 _I'll hide myself on your magic shirt._

 _Alright then, come on out, Draco the Dragon._ He does and it is only a few pounds on her upper back. "What is it?"

"Before you started fighting him, you analysed it. Fire and blunt force, right?"

"Yeah, and?"

"Your magic reacted."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are in tune enough that if you focus on what you need to resist, it will automatically bolster the defence for it. If it were Gray there in front of you, it would work and try to keep you warm. Natsu's flames are really hot out here, but you're barely breaking a sweat, unlike me."

"Oh, sorry!" A large hood forms around Draco and up to the top of her head. Instantly it meshes with the previous stuff and cools it off.

"I wasn't entirely concerned, but thank you. You really do keep your spirits well."

"Of course." She stops running then and focuses back on the fight, suddenly rushing forward and punching him in the chin and drawing out a bat to hit his arm hard enough to possibly break it before dispersing the bat into the air.

She watches him take a deep breath in to blow fire and then freeze. "That smell..." He rushes forward and grabs her arm with his better arm.

"Let go!" She punches his chest and kicks his shins without magic, but hard enough where he has to put in effort to keep her by him.

"Luce...that smell." His face gets close to hers and she freezes before he ducks his head and sniffs at her neck and hair. "It's a dra-" she roughly shoves him back enough before she knocks him in the forehead with her own and he falls back, letting go as she holds her head.

"I have to win. We can talk afterwards." She pulls him up by the scarf and stands him up. "We'll finish quickly though, so we can." When he can stand up without her and form a fighting stance, she backs up. "Aires, please be on standby and catch him." She shows up and waits, apologising for her appearance. Lucy takes a deep breath and forms a mass of energy that is mostly golden in colour and aims. "I'm sorry for this, Natsu." She releases it and it hits him, throwing him back into the wool so he wouldn't fly too far since the barrier only prevented the magic from flying. "Okay, the fight's over. Come on down Wendy."

Wendy rushes down the stands and runs to Laxus first as he was closest, checking his condition while the Thunder Legion collects Gajeel to bring him to her and Aires floats Natsu over on his cloud. As they do that, the other people in the stands finally process what happened in front of them and are awestruck. "Lucy did that?" Erza says, the first almost statue to talk.

"She did," Makarov says. "She exceeded my expectations though, but I feel that's not all."

"How did she...? Three dragon slayers!"

"She trained. Nearly every day," Freed says as Wendy moves to Gajeel.

"I have never seen a Celestial Wizard do that. Never even heard of one doing-"

"She isn't just a Celestial Wizard anymore."

"Freed, that's enough." Lucy lays a hand on his shoulder. "We'll tell them after we wake these ones up. I will." She looks to Aires. "Can you take them to the infirmary?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"Alright, meet you there." She then grabs onto Laxus and uses the teleportation method taught by Draco to get to the guild.


	43. Don't Challenge Me, For I Had A Plan

The guild hall is silent and it's emptiness felt even in the infirmary. After settling Laxus into the bed, she gets back to Gajeel, getting there as Wendy takes her hands off of him, and takes him back to the bed next to Laxus'.

"You don't have to be anxious, Lucy." She jumps, having forgot that Draco was riding on her back. She disperses the blue magic and uncloaks him.

"I'm not."

"Most of the time you are anxious, you babble on, but when you're seriously torn up about stuff, you get quiet. Lighten up. It is going to be fine. Four of them are Dragon Slayers themselves, so they can't hate you for that."

"I didn't tell them."

"But you are now, so it is fine." Draco gets off her back and sits on the side table by Laxus and faces her. "They are just a little shell shocked right now with you beating up three out of four of the Dragons they have."

"I don't think I could beat up Wendy."

"We'll have to work on how to take on that many opponents, but I'm sure you could fight her."

"My attention can hardly handle three, otherwise I wouldn't have called them into fight."

"You are a celestial spirit wizard though, so you should make use of them. Otherwise, why have them?"

"I suppose that's true."

"And to think: you didn't use Dragonforce. You made an easy day of it. Didn't last too long."

"Dragonforce didn't seem necessary."

"But it looks good on you." She can almost see him smile and it calls out her own.

"I know, but it felt like overkill."

"You're right. Better not accidentally kill them. Anyway, I want to see how you can take on the Gildarts person. I heard that he's pretty good."

"Happy said he sliced and diced Natsu into a hundred many years ago."

"It shouldn't be that hard as long as we know what we are dealing with. Especially when you know how to specialise your armour now."

"With more spirits, my attacks could vary a bit more. Today I just got it over with. After I pay off a few things I could go out and key hunt before the real key hunt begins. It is fairly soon though, so I guess I should save for the trip now."

"It wouldn't hurt, and you are going to come into some money soon." She hears the clamour of the guild members and waits for them to get closer and through the guild. Aires is first through the infirmary door, directing a cloud that Natsu and Wendy are riding on that depends on the bed on the other side of Gajeel. Once they are in, the rest of the guild packs into the infirmary and looks at Lucy and a slight tension builds in the room as they look at her like something isn't right.

"Alright, where is my part of the bet money?" It eases the tension as a few laughs ripple out and someone forks over her share of the money, surprisingly more than she had thought it would be. She gives it to Aires to tuck away and tells her to collect what Loke would win while she is here and give it to him. The mood in the infirmary is better after that.

Wendy's hands relax from Natsu's examination and she sighs in relief. "You didn't get them too bad. Nothing was too severe on any of-" She looks by Lucy and her brown eyes get big quick. "Is that a dragon?"

"Uh..." Lucy looks at Draco, who isn't any help in giving clues as to what to do. "Yes."

"H-"

"Can we talk about him after the others wake up? It would be easier that way, I think."

"I...I guess."

"So how long until they wake up?"

"I've gotten better to where I can focus on the major injuries faster, so it shouldn't be more than a couple hours, tops."

Lucy looks to Draco. "You know what you can do. Can you help them?"

 _Are you impatient?_ Draco asks in her mind, giving the impression that he is chuckling.

"Anxious is more like it." _I want to get this over with._

 _Then your best bet would be to do what you did with Gajeel. No gold._

"Of course not gold. Why would gold be good for anyone," She asks somewhat sarcastically, laying a palm on Laxus' chest, staring at her hand. "But to just blast it?"

 _No, just let it flow into them._

"Flow, flow. Okay, let's give it a go. Ha."

"Lucy? Are you alright?" Wendy asks.

"Yes, why?"

"You're just talking to yourself. Mumbling on about something."

Lucy looks to Draco and sighs. "I'm fine Wendy. Just figuring something out." She sends her magic through to Laxus as she speaks and moves to Gajeel and tries the same thing.

 _Not too much._

"I know. Wait, it won't be like ethernano, right?"

 _What's that?_

"You don't kn- never mind." She pulls her hand from Gajeel, already done. "Of course you wouldn't. What is the result of this?"

 _It helps them. It isn't theirs specifically, but it will do no harm. Unless you will it._

"Okay, I trust you."

"Trust who?" Wendy asks worriedly.

"Never mind," Lucy says before walking to Natsu and does the same, flowing the dark blue magic right into them. After that, she waits by Laxus and soon they all wake up.

"What did you do?" Wendy asks, amazed.

"Something similar to you. I think I healed them?" She looks to Draco for confirmation, but he just sits there.

"What did Freed mean by you aren't just a Celestial Wizard anymore?" Erza asks.

"Just that. I'm not. Not since I was healed in the Celestial world. Another magic has become a part of me."

"And what was that?"

"Dragon Slayer."

"WHAT?!" They all exclaim loud enough after a stunned pause to nearly displace the rafters.

"How can that be?" Erza asks again.

"I was donated blood and that blood changed some inner part of me and it made me into a Dragon Slayer naturally."

"What blood?"

"His blood." Lucy points to the dragon. "He saved my life." Everyone looks at the little dragon on the nightstand that the other Dragon Slayers, aside from Laxus, were openly gawking at. "His blood changed and he taught me how to use the magic that followed."

"Who is he?" Wendy asks.

"Draco. The first dragon." Everyone is silent, staring at the smaller dragon.

"You're really a dragon?" Natsu asks, sniffing the air.

 _Yes, I really am,_ he says into everyone's minds. A few people look at Warren, but he just shakes his head. _I have been working with Lucy on her magic for a while, but you guys have seen me before._

"Really? When?!" The transforms to his human form in front of all of them and they gasp, recognising from when he has came in with the others.

"Wait! You're, you're that one guy!" Natsu shouts unhelpfully.

"Yes, I am Draco. Not a Dragon Slayer, but an actual dragon."

"If Lucy is now a Dragon Slayer, does that mean she will have an Exceed friend as well?" Wendy asks, thinking about another edition to the cats around the guild.

"What? What's an Exceed?" Draco asks, looking at Lucy.

"They are cat-like beings from another universe that migrated here when their world changed and it seems to be that an Exceed was paired up with each natural dragon slayer." She looks to Wendy. "I don't need an Exceed, Wendy. Besides, I have plenty of other otherworldly companions."

"So basically this whole fighting thing was to tell the guild 'Lucy is now a badass'?" Gray sums up.

"Hell yeah," Laxus says. "Would there be a better way?" The rest of the guild laughs. "I didn't think it would be that one sided without you going all out," Lexus says. "It kind of made the fight boring."

"Boring?!" Lucy nearly shrieks. "I fight all three of you and you call it 'boring'?!"

"Well yeah," Laxus says and Lucy punches his shoulder. "What? There wasn't really any tension at all."

"You knew I could do it and I did."

"Come on, you have to at least worry the people; one-sided decimation isn't always the most fun to watch. I got a front row and I still found it lacking."

"Idiot," Freed mutters.

"I wasn't trying to put on a performance!" Lucy yells. "If I wanted to do that, I would have just asked people to watch as I showed off what I learned! Maybe shift into Dragonforce, but no! I wanted to show them I was strong, not a show off!"

"People were shocked, I'll give you that, but I dunno. Were they that invested?" Laxus smiles, seeing her getting mad and unconsciously starting to bring out her Dragon form as her eyes turn golden.

"What the hell are you going on about?!"

"Lucy, you may want to calm down," Freed says as everyone is surprised at how she looks.

"No!" Her claws come out of her hands at the word. "The hell I'm going to calm down when he has that stupid cheeky grin on his face!" Her sudden anger at him pours off of her in powerful waves as the golden light starts showing off of her.

"Where was your effort earlier?" Laxus taunts.

"Laxus, stop it!" Makarov scolds him sternly.

"My _effort_?!" Her voice gets higher as her tension builds inside of her. Her scales start appearing as her spirits do and everyone looks at her in awe. "Have you not seen my effort over the last few months? Not to mention since Tataros?!" They go back and forth a few times as Laxus ratchets her tension up a notch each time. Freed, being sensible, starts writing runes for protection around the makeshift audience.

 _Beautiful, but nearly deadly when like this. Maybe that much magic shortened her temper? Either that or he is really just an asshole sometimes. And in the guild too._ Draco sighs and shifts back to his small dragon form and sits on the lion's shoulder. _Leo, calm her._

 _How am I supposed to do that?_ Leo looks at the dragon to get an idea as to why he was telling him to do it.

 _Well, you weren't her first spirit, but she isn't here right now to cool her off, so you are the second best option as the leader of the Zodiacs._

 _Won't she attack me though?_

 _Would you really want her to beat up her kin?_

 _Well...kinda. Better than her beating me up._

 _Oh for the love of-_ Draco whips his tail and clips Leo in the back of his head. _Just help her before she feels guilty and sad later!_

 _Oh, right. Sad and guilty Lucy is no one's happy Lucy._

 _That's what started all of this in the first place, so move it._

 _You gonna stay on my shoulder?_

 _Better two other targets than that one._

 _How noble._ Leo smiles before jumping between Laxus and Lucy. "Hi, Lucy!"

"Move, Loke! I'm not finished giving him a pice of my mind yet!"

"Yes, you are. You don't have the money to build a new guildhall as good as this one right now, right? Just lay off."

"What does the guildhall have to do with it?" She huffs.

"Let her be, Loke," Laxus says. "All she's doing is yelling. It isn't like she really would do something. Her words as they are are harmless."

"I'll show you harmless," she grumbles and tries to step around Loke.

"Princess, stop," he says as he gets in her way again. "You're going to regret it later."

"Later isn't now, so move. If he wants a show, I'll give him his goddamned show."

"You're conscious of what you're doing right now, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then did you really notice that you shifted over to super badass battle mode?"

"What?"

"Look at yourself," he says and she looks down and is somewhat surprised at her appearance.

"It was so natural that I guess I hadn't notice. Nice," Lucy smiles at herself. "I guess I can give him that show." She forms a ball of blue and gold magic in her hand.

"No, you need to stop."

"No I don't. I'm just going to give it to him. He wants me to take action."

"You're not going to do it," Laxus says.

"Shut the hell up Laxus, I'm trying to save you from your kin!" Leo says and Laxus laughs, which takes the light out of the ball as it shifts, which Draco notices.

 _Leo, she absolutely can't throw that at him._

 _I got that,_ Leo thinks back sarcastically.

 _No, you don't get it. She changed the properties, probably without thinking of it. I'm not sure to what, but she does know how Laxus works._

 _So it could actually hurt this hardheaded lightning boy?_

 _It could very well do so. Debilitate him to who knows what degree._

 _I vote we let her. He needs to learn not to egg people on._

 _This isn't the time for that!_

 _Then why don't you try to reason with them? They don't seem to want to listen. I thought it was red heads who are supposed to be angry. What happened to blondes having more fun?_

 _I'm such an idiot,_ Draco thinks.

 _What?_

Instead of answering, Draco jumps off of Leo's shoulder and shifts to human form. "Lucy, I command you to stop."

"You command me?"

"Yes. That goes for Laxus too."

"What?"

"As the first dragon, I command you to stop. You would not like the consequences should you not listen and throw that at its target," he points to the dark blue ball floating above her hand. It has gained a golden and flaring aura that, while pretty, seems menacing.

"How would you know?"

"I just do, so disperse it immediately."

"I don't want to."

Draco sighs before his voice drops an octave. "Disperse the ball and calm down." His eyes pulse their golden colour as he looks between the two and Laxus is the first to look down, bowing his head down more than the first time Draco let this part of him out. Lucy wavers, being his Slayer after all, but succumbs, not only dispersing her ball, but her Dragonforce and dropping to her knees as she bows her head downwards. Freed notes that the other slayers have all bowed their heads and taken a knee, even though they were virtually uninvolved. Draco steps to Lucy and lays a hand on her head. "Have you calmed?"

"Yes."

"Good. Rise again." She does while still looking down as he moves to Laxus. "Mr. Laxus, I do believe I mentioned to you that riling her up unnecessarily was not a good idea as she isn't entirely in control yet. Did I not?"

"You did...sir."

"As kin you would consider yourself lucky or she might have snapped earlier than I could think. I don't know the extent of the damage the attack she had ready would have put forth, but it was formed with the thought of you in mind, as she just unwittingly discovered in the fight earlier with Mr. Natsu."

"Understood, sir."

Draco walks from Laxus to Freed. "Nice thinking for the barrier. However, I do not think it is needed at the moment. It seems like things are under control."

"Alright." Freed slashes his sword through the ruins as Draco releases the Slayers again and everyone takes a deep breath.

"Now, I believe that your guild is good at celebrating, so why don't we go and get started, hm?" Draco says with a smile and it gets others to smile. Soon enough, everyone is out of the infirmary and celebrating Lucy's accomplishments, a few others coming in from other guilds as well.


End file.
